


Wars of a Double Life

by orphan_account



Series: Miraculous Double Life [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Strained Friendships, Strained Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2020-10-13 01:41:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 73,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20574365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Three months after the events of "Problems of a Double Life," not much has changed in Paris. Adrien and Marinette have begun dating, Ladybug and Chat Noir are still barely on speaking terms, while Gabriel Agreste has taken a hiatus far away from his home. However, Nathalie is fully aware of Chat Noir's true identity, and is in desperate need of an ally to save Emilie Agreste's life...





	1. Affirmation

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is the first chapter of the sequel to "Problems of a Double Life", and if you haven't read that, I'd highly recommend doing so before diving into this story.

“There are days I worry about you.” Sabine said with a chuckle, snapping Marinette out of her momentary trance.

“What?” Marinette blinked, and realized that she had a pastry in her hand. There were _ dozens _ more in front of her, taking up most of the bakery’s kitchen... She must’ve zoned out, when she was _ supposed _ to be filling these pastries... They all needed to be ready for a catering event in just over two hours, meaning Marinette’s parents needed her help to get them all done in time. Things like this happened pretty often, and Marinette was no stranger to them.

“I was asking if you’d invited Adrien over for dinner just yet.” Sabine said gently, “You know how his schedule gets; if he’s going to make it, you’ll have to talk to him soon.”

“Oh, right.” Marinette nodded, “Yeah, I texted him earlier, and I might shoot him a call if he hasn’t responded.”

“Good.” Sabine said, giving a hum of approval, “Aim to have him here by seven or so if he agrees. That should give us a few hours after we handle this delivery.”

“Makes sense.” Marinette said with another nod, and noticed her mother looking at her with worry out of the corner of her eye.

Things continued on smoothly from there, with the two of them finishing the pastries in a timely manner. While Marinette and Sabine worked in the back, Marinette’s father handled the regular operations up front. Ordinarily, that would’ve been Marinette’s job, but Tom had been feeling under the weather recently. Not enough to stop him from wanting dinner with Adrien, but he’d complained of a sore throat all day.

They were all starting to feel sick, really. It was now _ December, _ and the weather finally felt like it. The day was moody, and Marinette felt like she hadn’t seen the sun in _ ages. _

It was just after noon right now, on a Saturday. Marinette usually wasn’t this out of things, but her weekly meeting with Chat Noir was supposed to have been last night, on Friday. She’d arrived at the usual meeting place, like always, when she remembered that her partner had cancelled on her. Since things were so _ quiet _ these days, he’d suggested moving their weekly meetings to be _ monthly _ instead. 

She’d wanted to object, but there hadn’t been an akuma since the business with the Reaper. Marinette hadn’t been able to think of a reason to keep coming out _ every _ Friday, other than wanting to see Chat Noir. And that was clearly a sentiment her partner didn’t return, hence him making their get-togethers a monthly occurrence.

Ever since Chat Noir had refused to reveal his identity, things had been… _ tense, _ to say the least. The two were still on outwardly good terms, but it was clear that the mutual trust their partnership was built on was _ gone. _ Chat Noir no longer used any of his classic nicknames for her, didn’t ask to spend more time with (he asked for less now), and hadn’t cracked a pun or a joke since the battle with the Reaper. Every time they meant, the conversation was now strictly _ business. _ He avoided all talk of his personal life, and had even _ scolded _ her once for mentioning that she had a boyfriend.

Marinette hated to admit it, but there was a word for his recent behavior. He was, for lack of a better term, more _ mature _ now. That didn’t stop her from missing the old Chat Noir, the one that would give a goofy bow every time they met, but she had stopped thinking of his change as something temporary...

“You in here, Tikki?” Marinette called as she entered her bedroom.

“Of course!” Tikki said excitedly, emerging from under Marinette’s covers, “Did you and your mother finish those pastries?”

“Packed and ready to go.” Marinette said, flopping down on the bed in relief.

“If I heard correctly...” Another voice chimed in, this one belonging to the turtle kwami, “Your mother wanted you to contact your mate, did she not?”

“Wayzz!” Tikki snapped, “What have I told you about eavesdropping on Marinette’s conversations?”

“He’s just trying to help.” Marinette soothed her kwami, and turned to address Wayzz, “I already texted him, like I told Mom. Hopefully he answers soon.”

“Ah, I see.” Wayzz said with a nod, and then fixed Tikki with an annoyed look, “At least I’m _ trying _ to help out here.”

_ Wayzz _ was another big detail. Honestly the weirdest complication in Marinette’s life right now. Master Fu had left Paris just over a month ago, explaining that the ingredients needed to refill his life-giving potion were near the home of the original Miraculous Temple. It meant that Master Fu had to travel all the way to the _ Himalayas, _ literally _ thousands _ of miles from Paris. And since Ladybug and Chat Noir sometimes needed help in their battles, _ somebody _ needed to take care of the Miracle box in his absence.

She hadn’t heard from the Master since the end of October. She wasn’t _ worried _ about him just yet, since he’d said the journey could take some time, but Marinette might have to take action if this stretched into the New Year...

_ “Excuse _ me!” Tikki said indignantly, “Marinette told you not to listen in, and you did it anyway! That’s not helping, that’s _ snooping!” _

_ “Snooping?” _Wayzz spluttered, “How dare you!”

“Remind me why you keep his Miraculous active again?” Tikki said with a dramatic _ sigh _ that Marinette didn’t even acknowledge.

“Because unlike you, _ I’m _ the Guardian’s kwami.” Wayzz said proudly, “I’m privy to a _ plethora _ of information that Miss Marinette may require.”

And as the two kwamis continued to argue, Marinette pulled a pillow over her head, hoping to drown out the _ obnoxious _ sound. Marinette didn’t mind taking care of more kwamis, she really didn’t, but she was quickly learning that there _ might _ be a reason people weren’t expected to take care of more than one at a time...

For whatever reason, Master Fu had _ refused _ to let Chat Noir or somebody else handle this duty, _ insisting _ that Marinette take on the responsibility. After all, Ladybug was the one in charge of recruiting auxiliary heroes in times of need. It made sense that she would be the one to hold the box. It didn’t mean Marinette _ liked _ it, though. It’s not that it was a particularly large amount of _ work, _ per say, but Master Fu hadn’t really _ asked. _ He’d sort of just… _ told _ her what the plan was, and given her the box. He hadn’t even brought his own Miraculous with him, a detail that surprised Marinette a lot.

And while Master Fu had promised to return _ eventually, _ Marinette was left with the sinking feeling that kwamisitting might become a permanent duty…

A ringing from Marinette’s cell phone interrupted her train of thought, and forced the two kwamis to stop arguing so they wouldn’t be heard. 

“Adrien?” She answered, upon reading her boyfriend’s name on the contact.

“Hey Mari!” Adrien said happily, and it was clear from all the background noise that he was outside at the moment, “I hear you’re making dinner plans?”

Regardless of her current complaints, from not wanting to take care of the Miracle Box to the absolutely _ awful _ weather outside, hearing Adrien’s voice was _ still _ able to put her in a good mood by default. They’d been growing closer and closer these last few months, and while they were still technically a “new couple,” Marinette was struggling to imagine a time without him in her life. _ Especially _ considering that she hadn’t made up with Alya yet.

“Yeah, my parents wanted me to invite you.” Marinette said, “My Dad _ might _ give you a hard time, so be warned…”

“Eh, your dad’s cool.” Adrien said, but paused immediately afterwards, “...and also absolutely _ huge. _ Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea-”

“Oh _ grow up.” _ Marinette laughed, “You know he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“Yeah, I do.” Adrien laughed with her, but he still sounded a bit _ shaken, _ “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I’m there. I’ve got a fencing thing with Kagami for a couple of hours before that, but as long as it’s after five I should be okay.”

_ “Right.” _ Marinette said, internally cringing at how _ jealous _ she sounded. It was times like this that made her wish she’d stuck with fencing, instead of just going to one practice.

“Well, I’ll see you later then, probably at like seven or so.” Adrien said, oblivious to Marinette’s change in tone, “Maybe we can play some Mecha Strike after dinner if you’re not too busy.”

“Sounds like fun.” Marinette agreed, “Bye now.”

“You don’t like this… _ Kagami _ very much, do you?” Wayzz asked once Marinette had ended the call. Wayzz was floating right behind her head, apparently listening to her _ entire _ conversation with Adrien. Marinette tried to be nice to be nice, but Tikki was _ definitely _ right about one thing; Wayzz was indeed a _ snoop. _

“Very _ perceptive.” _ Tikki said sarcastically, drawing another glare from the turtle kwami, “She only talks about her _ all the time!” _

“Not _ all _ the time.” Marinette protested, shooting Tikki an annoyed look, “I just get _ suspicious _ that she wants to monopolize his time… Suspicious of _ her, _ not Adrien!”

Marinette _ knew _ that it wasn’t healthy. Adrien had _ never _ given her any reason to think that he was a less than trustworthy boyfriend in any way, after all. But after the way Marinette had _ competed _ with Kagami for Adrien’s affection, Marinette couldn’t help but feel a _ little _ upset whenever the two of them spent time together. She wasn’t proud of it, but learning about their private fencing practices where it was only the two of them made her feel pretty jealous.

“Unlike you, I’m _ new _ here! I’m _ still _ trying to remember everybody’s _ names.” _ Wayzz said indignantly, replying to Tikki’s jab, “In all honesty, I spent the first few weeks thinking that _ Adrien _ was the boy with the red baseball cap that sits behind us in class. It turns out he’s the blond one that sits next to us. How was I supposed to remember that she doesn’t like this Kagami girl?”

“Literally _ how!?” _ Tikki spluttered, “Wayzz, _ Nino _ is the boy that you helped become Carapace! He’s the one you should _ never _forget!”

“And now I _ won’t.” _ Wayzz said confidently, “Unlike you, I _ learn _from my mistakes-”

“Do you two _ ever _ stop?” Marinette rubbed her temples, trying to fight an emerging headache, “Shouldn’t you guys be _ happy _ to see each other?”

“I _ was.” _ Tikki said bitterly, “But that was before I had to _ live _ with him.”

“Agreed.” Wayzz nodded.

“I’d have thought you two in particular would be friends.” Marinette shook her head, “You know, since you’re both sticklers for the rules and whatnot?”

It was true. Tikki had _ always _ insisted on doing things by the book. Unlike Plagg, who Marinette had met on a few occasions, Tikki made sure to take the mission _ seriously _ at all times. And while Marinette obviously didn’t have much experience with Wayzz yet, but it was clear that as Master Fu’s kwami, Wayzz also emphasized rules.

Marinette had initially thought that with Wayzz active she’d be dealing with essentially Tikki times two; just a second voice telling her to do the right thing all the time. And she was partially right, Wayzz did in fact do that sometimes, but Marinette _ hadn’t _ counted on him waging _ civil war _ with Tikki at the same time.

“Sometimes opposites attract.” Wayzz said with a shrug, “Tikki and I are both kwamis of _ light. _ Along with Nooroo, we make up the _ yang _ of the core Miraculous. We are not _ opposites, _ like Tikki is with Plagg.” Wayzz snuck the crimson kwami another nasty look.

“So that means the _ yin _are Plagg, Pollen, Trixx, and-” Marinette paused, struggling to remember Master Fu’s explanation, “The uh, the Peacock one…”

“Duusu.” Wayzz supplied.

_ “Duusu.” _ Marinette agreed, and then paused, “Why are there _ four _ on the yin side?”

“Trixx doesn’t belong to either side.” Tikki said, gesturing towards the Miracle box, “Unlike the rest of us, Trixx is considered a _ neutral _force. Much like the Zodiac-”

“If you don’t _ mind,” _ Wayzz said indignantly, _ “I _ was the one explaining this to Marinette. As Master Fu’s kwami, I am _ by far _ the most qualified-”

“Being on the same side of the circle is _ not _ permission to bicker all day!” Marinette said angrily, slamming her fist on the nightstand. “You’ve had literally _ thousands _ of years to work things out with each other! Could you _ at least _ not argue while _ I’m _around?”

**********

“I would’ve thought that one of the city’s principal defenders could fight better than _ this.” _ Kagami taunted him, moving in aggressively. She attacked with an _ unhinged _ rancor, swinging her sabre with enough malice that Adrien found himself briefly forgetting that this was in fact a training session, and not a battle to the death with one of Hawkmoth’s pawns.

Adrien _ barely _ managed to repel her onslaught of attacks, and he found himself stepping further and further backwards as Kagami continued. Each flurry of attacks from the fencing prodigy left Adrien feeling more and more _ tired, _ something the cold weather wasn’t helping. While not quite below freezing, the day was overcast, with the wind making things feel _ far _ worse than they actually were...

“You’re _sloppy.” _Kagami chided him, finally managing to knock Adrien’s sword out of his hand with a well angled attack. The weapon flew through the air, clattering across the courtyard before eventually coming to a stop in front of the Tsurugi family’s new fountain, “If I were an akuma, you would be _dead,_ and Hawkmoth would be one step closer to his goal.”

Kagami’s house was truly _ beautiful. _ The two were fighting on a gigantic concrete platform in the middle of the courtyard, with a tasteful garden and peaceful fountain adding to the overall awe factor. The entire estate was recently constructed, as Kagami and her mother hadn’t even been in Paris for a full year yet, and there was _ ample _ space for the young prodigy to hone her craft. After all, Kagami’s mother wouldn’t have settled for anything other than the best, even as she lacked the eyes to see it for herself.

“Come on…” Adrien said, falling to one knee as he caught his breath, “You’ve been trying to skewer me for nearly _ four hours _ in this _ freezing _ weather and I’m just _ now _letting up… give me a break, will ya?”

“A _ break?” _ Kagami echoed incredulously, “If _ Riposte _ came after you again, would _ she _ give you a chance to catch your breath?”   
  


The two were still friends, make no mistake. But upon learning that Adrien’s extra curricular activities extended beyond just piano and fencing, Kagami had taken it upon _ herself _ to make sure that Chat Noir was well-prepared to handle himself in a fight. Adrien was grateful, as Kagami’s time was almost as hard to come by as his own, but sometimes he wondered if Kagami took this all a little _ too _ seriously.

“You’re not Riposte.” Adrien reminded her gently, noting that Kagami had mentioned _ herself _ as the potential villain, “And Hawkmoth hasn’t done _ anything _ for the last few months, remember?”

“Even so,” Kagami shook her head grimly, “He’s still out there, and he still has the power of the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous at his disposal. Meaning he could strike back at _ any _ moment, and it’s up to _ you _ to make sure you’re prepared. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t help make sure you were _ always _on top of your game.” 

“And I _ appreciate _that.” Adrien said, rising to his feet and picking up his sword, “But there’s only so much I can learn from fencing-”

“I beg to differ.” Kagami countered, “I’d argue there’s little you _ can’t _ learn from fencing. From pacing yourself, to searching for the right opportunities… there’s a lot for us to work on.” She shook her head, as though recalling some painful memories, “I’d rather not see Chat Noir lose again because he acted too _ hastily.” _ Kagami assumed a fighting stance, inviting Adrien to attack her again.

“Eh, cut the kid a break.” Both Adrien and Kagami looked over to see that Plagg had flown into the courtyard, carrying a large chunk of swiss cheese in his paws, “You’ve played around in the December cold for long enough. It’s not like he’ll be _ alone _ out there, after all…”

Upon learning Chat Noir’s true identity, Kagami had quickly been introduced to Adrien’s most faithful companion. And while the two couldn’t be more _ different, _ the girl and the kwami were united in their care for Adrien. Plagg had initially been upset that Kagami knew Adrien’s secret, having disliked her for some time, but later admitted that he enjoyed having another human he could talk to. Not that Adrien was bad company, but it was nice to have somebody else as well.

They’d actually taken a strange liking to one another, in a way that neither of them seemed to understand.

“He’s not _supposed_ to be alone.” Kagami said, somewhat _bitterly,_ but she lowered her sword nonetheless, “Ladybug isn’t always the most _dependable_ partner.”

“She does her best.” Adrien said quietly.

His relationship with Ladybug was still… _ rocky, _ to say the least. They weren’t openly _ hostile _ with each other, not by a long shot, but there was still a definite _ tension _ between them that was yet to be resolved. Without Hawkmoth sending out villains to fight, they only saw each other for their regular Friday meetings… meetings that were beginning to feel more and more _ pointless _ the longer they went without an opponent.

“Ladybug’s best isn’t always _ enough.” _ Kagami challenged, shaking her head again, “I _ still _ don’t understand why you two don’t bring in more allies.”

“Safety.” Plagg said, “The fewer Miraculous in Hawkmoth’s reach, the _ better.” _

“Still,” Adrien mused, “It’d be nice if Rena and the others were here with us all the time. Maybe I could talk to Ladybug about it, since she’s got the box now...”

The decision to make Ladybug acting guardian wasn’t even _ remotely _ surprising to Adrien. It was just another annoyance at this point, another addition to the _ long _ list of evidence that Master Fu cared a lot more about Ladybug than he did about Chat Noir. It hurt when Adrien first faced that truth, but he was learning to _ accept _ it.

Although he was yet to float the idea to Plagg, Adrien kind of wanted to reveal himself to Alya and Nino, the more he thought about it. Having learned their identities _ months _ ago, and considering how Kagami was already in the know, it seemed like the next logical step in improving their teamwork. Not to mention Adrien would _ love _ to talk with his best friend about the other half of his life…

“Didn’t you say you had something after this?” Kagami asked, sitting down on the edge of the courtyard fountain, “Something with Marinette if I’m not mistaken…”

“Dinner with the _ parents.” _ Plagg snickered, “Pigtails says that her dad’s harmless, but Adrien here knows better.”

“Is that so?” Kagami asked, arching a quizzical eyebrow, “I can’t imagine Mr. Dupain having a rough side…”

“Should’ve seen how he treated the _ last _ guy Marinette liked.” Adrien chuckled.

“The last guy being you _ again!” _ Plagg said, laughing with glee at the memory, “He went absolutely _ ballistic _ when Chat Noir turned his daughter down… _ Weredad, _was it?”

“He’s a nice guy.” Adrien said, nodding in agreement with Plagg’s memory.

“Even to Marinette’s boyfriends?” Kagami said with a wry smile.

“I mean, it’s not like it’s the first time I’m seeing him since I started dating his daughter.” Adrien said with an eye roll, “You guys are blowing this _ way _ out of proportion.”

“But it’s your first time having dinner with him?” Kagami asked, smug when Adrien wouldn’t make eye contact, “Have fun with that.”

“I _ will.” _Adrien said defiantly, “The Dupain-Chengs are the best bakers in all of Paris.”

“Speaking of parents, how’s your _ father _ been?” Kagami said, not concealing her _ contempt _ for that man.

“Scumbag hasn’t come back.” Plagg supplied when Adrien ignored the question, “He called a few weeks back, but other than that, _ nothing.” _

Gabriel’s departure was still a sore point, and Adrien was annoyed that Kagami had brought it up. It had been three months, and _ one _ phone call was all Adrien had heard from him. Nathalie was running affairs here in Paris for the time being, meaning that the _ Gabriel _ fashion empire was still running smoothly. In all honesty, Gabriel’s absence had such a _ minor _ impact on Adrien’s life that it caused him to realize how little his father interacted with him even when they lived under the same roof. 

That being said, Adrien was almost ashamed to admit that Gabriel’s departure had distinct… _ benefits. _ Namely, Adrien was now allowed to actually have _ friends _ over from time to time, since Nathalie wasn’t _ nearly _ as strict.

“I’m sure he has his reasons.” Adrien said tightly, “He’s invited me to join him down south next weekend, actually, once this school term ends.”

“I take it you plan on going?” Kagami asked, arching an eyebrow, “Paris might _ need _Chat Noir.”

Adrien _ did _ plan on going. As mad as he was at the man, Adrien still wanted to see his father, especially considering that the holidays were starting soon. If he missed this opportunity, and Gabriel didn’t return to Paris for a while longer, then there was a real chance Adrien wouldn’t get to see him until _ at least _ the New Year. Their last phone conversation had been _ tense, _ and Adrien had decided that seeing his father face-to-face might be the only way to _ really _ learn what was going on here.

“I think Paris can make it one _ weekend.” _ Adrien dismissed, “I mean, there’s a real chance Hawkmoth might’ve _ quit _ after everything with the Reaper.”

“There’s also a _ real chance _ Hawkmoth will strike when he _ knows _ Chat Noir is out of town.” Kagami’s eyes narrowed, “Unless you’ve _ forgotten _ the fact that he could very well know your secret identity-”

“I haven’t forgotten.” Adrien said, “But I also think Mayura would’ve attacked me by now if that was really her plan.”

“That could be what she _ wants _ you to think.”

“Fencing girl’s right.” Plagg cut in, “Whether you take a vacation down south or not, you _ need _ to take Hawkmoth and Mayura seriously...”

**********

“Yes, Mr. Agreste is _ still _ on vacation.” Nathalie said, wanting to hang up on this man more and more the longer she spoke with him.

“It’s been three months.” Mr. Falkner said grouchily, “The most Gabriel has _ ever _ gone without working is three _ days. _ You see why I find this hard to believe?”

“Not in the slightest.” Nathalie said bluntly, “We’ve continued to pay for our materials in a timely fashion, and the fall line was one of our best we’ve _ ever _ had. You’ll have to pardon me for failing to see the problem.”

Things were indeed going well at _ Gabriel. _ Mr. Agreste had been emailing her new designs biweekly, and Nathalie had been sure to implement them as soon as possible. The business end of things was going _ perfectly _(arguably better than they’d been under Gabriel, but that was neither here nor there), and sales were rising. However, Mr. Agreste’s absence was beginning to raise more and more questions as time went on.

For instance, Louis Falkner represented their primary fabric supplier, and he was beginning to lose patience with Nathalie.

“The problem,” Falkner said, and she could hear the annoyance in his voice, “is that I’ve _ always _ dealt with your boss on these matters-”

“And right now, you’re dealing with _ me.” _ Nathalie countered, “If Gabriel Agreste wants to _ never _ return from his vacation, he’s allowed to do just that. The last thing that him or I need right now is people like _ you _ giving trouble for the way Mr. Agreste conducts his personal life. Do I make myself _ clear?” _

“Am I expected to believe that Mr. Agreste has authorized you to make executive decisions for the company?” Falkner asked skeptically, “Gabriel has never been one to let others make decisions for him-”

Rather than letting that _ insolent _ man finish, Nathalie hung up. It was a show of force that she’d usually avoid, but there was no chance Falker’s company would stop supplying them fabric; after all, _ Gabriel _ was one of their largest customers by a mile. At worst, Nathalie was looking at _ another _ awkward phone call to patch things up. _ Absolute _ worst case scenario, Nathalie could patch him through to Mr. Agreste, but that was definitely a last resort, since Gabriel had made it clear that he didn’t want to be bothered.

At the moment, Nathalie had… _ other _ priorities. It had been three months since Mr. Agreste had left Paris, and he’d made clear his intent to stay until at _ least _ February. It meant that she still had a good amount of time remaining if she was going to strike again, but that time was dwindling nonetheless.

_ “Honestly, I don’t think Ladybug will mind.” _ Nathalie poured over the last night’s security footage from Adrien’s bedroom, _ “It’s pretty pointless, going out every week just to talk about how there’s nothing to talk about.” _

Apparently, Adrien was telling Ladybug that he didn’t have any interest in continuing their weekly meetings. He was telling this to his kwami, _ Plagg, _ who unfortunately never showed up on any of the recordings. Not even Plagg’s _ voice _ could be recorded, so it would seem to the untrained eye that Adrien was simply _ insane, _ talking to an imaginary friend every day while he was alone in his room. He'd brought over his friend from fencing once, Kagami Tsurugi, confirming that she'd learned Adrien's true identity while kidnapped by the Reaper.

It felt almost like _ cheating, _ hearing Adrien discuss his life as Chat Noir so openly, but Nathalie felt no remorse for it. Over the last few months of examining these recordings, Nathalie had learned that Adrien was currently upset with Ladybug, if only to a small degree, and was _ especially _ upset with a figure he called “Master Fu.” Nathalie could only surmise that Master Fu was the Guardian of the Miraculous.

But almost _ exactly _ one month ago, Nathalie had learned something else; apparently the Miraculous were all under Ladybug’s protection for the time being, while the guardian left France for an unknown amount of time. It was a mixed bag, since Ladybug could now recruit allies without restriction, but there were certainly benefits as well. Ladybug, impressive as she might be, almost _ certainly _ lacked the same experience as the Guardian. 

She’d also learned that Adrien knew the secret identities of Rena Rouge and Carapace, although he was yet to say them out loud...

However, Adrien _ had _ strongly implied that he knew the two of them in his civilian life. At the moment, Nathalie was maybe _ sixty percent _ sure that they were Alya Cesaire and Nino Lahiffe, given their similar skin tones and relationship with each other, but she couldn’t afford to count on that. It logically followed that since Queen Bee was Adrien’s friend Chloe, _ Ladybug _ could also be among the ranks of Adrien’s classmates... 

In other words, if there was _ ever _ a time to act, it was now. While Chat Noir stood isolated from his allies, and the guardian wasn’t even in the same _ country, _ the Black Cat Miraculous was honestly hers for the taking. She had Chat Noir’s civilian identity down, and Ladybug apparently didn’t even know it, a detail she’d heard Adrien discussing with his kwami on multiple occasions. Kagami Tsurugi knew Chat Noir's true identity, but the two of them still had no other known way of contacting Ladybug. That meant that Ladybug wouldn’t even know for an entire _ month _ if she took the ring in Adrien’s sleep… 

Nathalie leaned back in her chair, staring out the window of Gabriel’s office thoughtfully. There was only so much more information she could gain from listening in on Adrien’s conversations. In other words, the benefits of waiting were beginning to wear out, and the consequences of hesitation would catch up sooner or later...

_ “I’m sure Mayura’s watching me.” _ Adrien had said a few months back. _ “But come on Plagg; this mansion has some of the best security in all of France. As long as I lock my windows at night, she won’t be able to get me while I’m sleeping.” _

And _ that _ was Chat Noir’s fatal miscalculation. Adrien had insisted on using the Mansion’s defence system at night these days, but he didn’t realize that Mayura literally _ lived _ with him. She could avoid every security system or lock because she knew all of the codes and had all of the keys. Granted, this also meant that she was _ screwed _ if her attempt was to fail, since Adrien would _ definitely _ figure her out after that. Was that an acceptable risk?

Nathalie winced, realizing that Adrien might figure her out anyway, even if she succeeded. The list of suspects that could infiltrate the mansion on lockdown was _ small. _

There was another choice, of course. Nathalie had been lightly considering it for some time now, but she was yet to seriously evaluate its merits. It was something that both Gabriel and Emilie would _ detest, _ even more than what Nathalie was already doing...

Chat Noir, at the moment, was isolated from Ladybug. He didn’t seem particularly _ enthusiastic _ about supporting her, and _ definitely _ had no interest in following the Guardian’s orders. If Nathalie played her cards right, there was a _ serious _ chance that she could coerce him into helping restore his mother. It wouldn’t be easy, and it would require a lot of… well, _ tact. _ Nathalie knew Adrien well, but he was unlikely to obey Mayura outright, even with Emilie on the table. It just wasn’t in his _ nature _. 

She would need to hold something over his head, beyond just his mother... 

Nathalie rose from her seat, and began to pace the office anxiously. She eventually settled back down, and opened a document she’d compiled on Adrien’s social life.

Ladybug’s safety was no longer a viable choice as blackmail material given the current state of their relationship, and it wasn’t like Mayura could issue a credible threat to her safety anyway. Gabriel was a _ possibility, _ but the last thing Nathalie needed was to accidentally get him involved while he was conveniently out of the way. The one girl from Adrien’s fencing class that knew his secret identity, Kagami Tsurugi, was definitely a possibility as well, but that girl’s family might have the resources to protect her. It was the same problem that Mayura might face with Chloe’s family. She currently suspected Alya Cesaire and Nino Lahiffe of being superheroes, making them only _ barely _ more viable than Ladybug-

Her train of thought was interrupted by a buzzing on her cell phone.

“Adrien?” Nathalie picked up the phone, internally disturbed since she had _ just _ been thinking about how best to _ blackmail _ him.

“Hey Nathalie!” Adrien said cheerfully, “Just wanted to let you know that I’m having dinner with Marinette’s family tonight, and I should be back by ten. That doesn’t get in the way of anything, does it?”

_ Marinette. _ Nathalie didn’t answer immediately, and silently wondered if there was some supernatural force giving her direction. What to hold over Adrien… it was so _ obvious. _ Chat Noir may not care about Ladybug anymore, but Adrien Agreste had _ plenty _ to lose. He wasn’t exactly _ forthcoming _ about his social life, but Nathalie would have to be blind to not see that Adrien cared about his girlfriend a _ lot. _

It felt cheap, but along with Emilie’s current condition, it might _ just _ be enough to secure Chat Noir’s allegiance... At the very least, it was a solid last resort if Adrien proved to be _difficult._

“Nathalie?” Adrien asked, “You still there?”

“Yes, of course.” Nathalie said stiffly, “I was just checking your schedule, but all is well. Send the Dupain-Chengs my regards, and be back by a reasonable hour.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem” Adrien said, “I’m leaving Kagami’s right now, should be there soon.”

And with that the phone call ended. Nathalie sat in silence, staring at a small portrait of the Agreste family, from before Emilie had gone into her coma. Adrien, while not in a _ bad _ place right now, had been far happier back then. Emilie was of course with her family, and Gabriel Agreste looked nearly a _ decade _ younger, despite the portrait having been commissioned only three years ago.

Nathalie was going to see this family _ whole _ again. And if she played her cards right, Adrien was going to be the one to fix it...


	2. Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien has dinner with his girlfriend's parents, Tom Dupain is a large man, and Marinette is confused.

The temperature continued to drop all afternoon. Despite December having only _ just _ begun, the weather fell under freezing just after five in the afternoon. The day was still overcast, and overall _ miserable, _ but the city’s spirit was brought back to some degree when snow flurries began to fall. They weren’t enough to stick, or get in the way of any serious activities, but the first snow of the season was more than enough to raise the morale of Paris.

But as Adrien approached the Dupain-Cheng bakery, having bid the Gorilla goodbye, he was beginning to feel uncharacteristically _ nervous, _ the city’s high spirits seemingly ineffective on his worried soul.

“Having second thoughts I see.” Plagg’s voice teased, coming from within his coat, “Worried that Weredad’s gonna kick your ass again?”

“Not in the _ slightest.” _ Adrien shot back, shoving Plagg’s head back into the pocket, _ “Hundreds _ of people have been akumatized at this point. They lose control… they sometimes attack the people they love the most. It’s not a fair look at the person _ underneath _ all of that anger. Mr. Dupain isn’t any different.”   
  


And Adrien meant it. Treating someone differently just because of a moment of weakness wasn’t _ right. _ People made mistakes, but what Hawkmoth had done to his victims… it was a step farther than that. The Tom Dupain that Adrien knew would _ never _ imprison his daughter against her will. It was the _ akuma _ that had stripped him of who he was. He didn’t deserve Adrien’s suspicion for what _ Hawkmoth _ had made him do.

“Nice sermon.” Plagg snickered, “But you’re still _ trembling.” _

“It’s just _ cold.” _ Adrien said with an eye roll, “I’m not afraid of Marinette’s father turning into a villain again.”

“No, I suppose you’re not…” Plagg said, “After all, he probably doesn’t need an akuma to tear your arms out of your sockets, does he? Have you even _ seen _ that guy!?”

_ “Adrien!” _ Marinette’s voice called out, and Adrien turned to see her rushing out of the bakery.

“Marinette!” Adrien said happily, embracing her as she jumped into his arms, “Careful there… it’s getting a bit icy out! I don’t want you to slip…”

Being with Marinette was strangely _ calming, _ despite all of the nervous energy his girlfriend seemed to project. She was still clumsy, and definitely a bit _ quirky, _ but these were little things about Marinette that Adrien wouldn’t _ ever _ change. There were few people besides her that genuinely gave off the impression that they were _ listening _ when he talked to them. Like she actually _ cared _ what he had to say, despite getting nothing in return. It was a feeling that he only ever really got with Nino, and sometimes Kagami as well.

But when Marinette talked to him about her own problems… that was even _ better. _It was a nice break from Adrien’s chaotic life, where he could help Marinette puzzle out problems that didn’t involve life or death consequences. It was something else he could think about besides secret identities and strange blue villains possibly pouncing on him at any time. Marinette was just a normal girl, with a normal life, and getting to share that with her sometimes was more than he could’ve ever asked for.

“Might want to watch the PDA in front of her father.” Both whirled to see a cross-looking Tom Dupain standing at the bakery door, giving Adrien a _ suspicious _look.

Despite his speech to Plagg about trusting akuma victims, and not holding their crimes against them, seeing Tom angry with him was enough to make Adrien _ freeze. _

“You know I’m just teasing.” Tom laughed, wrapping both Adrien and Marinette in an embrace befitting of his stature, “It’s good to see you Adrien!”

“Y-yeah, it’s good to see you too.” Adrien said, coughing to cover his brief stammer. 

**********

“Honestly, when _ was _ the last time you minded your own business?” As Plagg floated upstairs, he overheard Tikki’s voice, getting more and more _ emotional. _ No doubt she was bickering with Wayzz again… after all, some rivalries never die. Plagg parked right outside the entrance of the bedroom, listening in curiously as Wayzz mounted a rebuttal of sorts. It was always fun to hear the two of them go back and forth.

“It is the role of a kwami to assist their chosen wielder.” Wayzz said indignantly, “When Miss Marinette is in doubt on the best thing to do-”

“Marinette is _ not _ your wielder!” Tikki cut in, “So _ stay away!” _

“Easy…” Plagg said as he phased through the trapdoor, and entered the _ disgustingly _pink bedroom of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Adrien was having dinner with her right now, meaning he should have more than enough time to sneak away and hang out with Tikki, “Aren’t we all on the same side here?”

“Plagg!” Tikki immediately _ beamed _ at the sight of him, and flew right on over. The two of them floated around each other excitedly before eventually settling down on the edge of Marinette’s bed, a few meters away from Wayzz.

“It’s good to have you here, Plagg._ ” _ Wayzz said with a small smile of his own, but then immediately frowned as he fully processed what Plagg’s presence meant, “And _ what _ exactly are you doing away from your wielder?” Wayzz’s eyes widened into what might be considered _ panic _ as he considered the ramifications.

“He’s having dinner downstairs with Marinette and her family.” Plagg said nonchalantly, “I can be back in a moment’s notice.”

Much like Tikki, Wayzz cared a lot about following the rules. It was only on very _ rare _ occasions, such as the day of Nooroo’s cycle, that the two of them (and Pollen) might be persuaded to go against what Master Fu had specifically ordered. As such, seeing Plagg away from Adrien was enough to _ immediately _ get Wayzz on his case, even if the risk wasn’t any higher than what Tikki was doing right now.

"Well, remain cautious all the same." Wayzz said, "Both of you need to be ready for action at a _moment's_ notice."

"As if we've _ever_ had a problem with that before..." Tikki shook her head in annoyance, prompting a smile from Plagg.

At his core, Plagg was a creature of chaos. And while he did his best to not destroy civilizations or subvert the rules of the guardian, arguments were one of the few chaotic events he was still allowed to enjoy. And if there was anybody Plagg could reliably count on to start an argument, it was Wayzz. Honestly one of the reasons he might be Plagg's best friend besides Tikki. But in this case, even Plagg wasn't really in the mood to watch the turtle and the ladybug square off, as he hadn't seen either of them in quite a while now.

  
"Eh, we'll be fine." Plagg said, "We've gotta catch up on some things anyways."

**********

“Flying is a _ bit _ of a squeeze for me.” Tom said with a hearty laugh, and Marinette couldn’t help but notice that Adrien’s chuckle at her father’s joke sounded a little… _ forced. _ It was as though her boyfriend didn’t like the reminder that Tom Dupain was a very _ large _ man, “Still, cramming into that cabin was well worth appearing on _ Bake it Till You Make it!” _

Dinner had gone quite well, and the family was now gathered in the living room. Adrien had been uncharacteristically _ quiet, _ practically jumping every time Tom Dupain addressed him personally. Which was of course pretty much ever time the man spoke, since Adrien was currently seeing his daughter. Marinette still wasn’t sure why he seemed so… _ uncomfortable. _

Tom was in the midst of telling the story of his appearance on a reality baking show over in the United States a few years back. It was something that Marinette and Sabine had of course _ lived _ through, and heard him describe probably _ hundreds _ of times at this point, but neither had the heart to stop him as he got excited to tell it to Adrien. Dinner was over at this point, and they had all convened in the living room to chat. Marinette was _ hoping _ to break free and be with just Adrien soon, but she understood that her parents were going to hold on to the two of them for at least a few more minutes.

“Oh yeah, I think I heard about that…” Adrien said hesitantly, tapping his chin thoughtfully, “I think you mentioned it when you came for career day last year-”

“Must have been an abridged version.” Tom said, still laughing jovially, “Did I get to the part where I accidentally snapped the door off one of their fancy American ovens? That _ has _ to be the best part…”   
  


For a brief second, Adrien’s eyes widened in raw _ terror. _

“N-No.” Adrien laughed nervously, “Go right ahead.”

“Well, you see, it all started when one of the other contestants...” Tom began to tell his story, and Marinettte’s eyes began to glaze over, as she’d heard it more than enough times.

Marinette’s parents hadn’t failed to embarrass her a few times during dinner, but the raven-haired girl had honestly expected it to be a lot worse. Tom had brought up the pictures of Adrien in her room, but he already knew about that. Besides, she’d taken them down the same day he asked her out, meaning the danger had pretty much passed. Sabine had reminisced about how much Marinette panicked when Adrien came over to prepare for the Mecha Strike Tournament last year, but that was pretty much it. 

“...I was still on a time crunch.” Tom explained, “And once my cake was finished, I _ rushed _ straight for the oven, and tore the _ entire door _ clean off in my panic! The entire kitchen went silent, and I was just standing there, holding a piece of an oven as all the other contestants just _ stared. _ It had to be the most awkward moment of my life!”

“That’s… _ impressive.” _ Adrien said absently, clearly visualizing this feat, “Did this... _ oven _ ever end up getting fixed?”

“I doubt it.” Sabine said, chiming in for the first time since the story had begun, “They probably ended up throwing it away.”

Adrien’s face paled even more as he nodded in understanding. Marinette arched an eyebrow, having never seen Adrien this _ nervous _ around her father before. Granted, Tom was easily the largest man Marinette had ever met, surpassing even Adrien’s bodyguard, but they’d been seeing each other for _ months _ now. Why on Earth would Adrien pick now to start getting nervous? Something didn’t seem right.

“Do you think Adrien and I could watch some TV or something?” Marinette decided to step in and save him, “I know he needs to be back sooner or later…”

“Of course, dear.” Sabine smiled, and Tom gave an overly dramatic _ sigh. _

“If you _ insist.” _ Tom said, standing up to give Adrien a pat on the shoulder, “You’re welcome here anytime, son. I joke around, but we really are happy to have you around.”

Adrien face did brighten a bit at that, and Marinette’s heart sank just a little bit as she realized that Adrien’s father was _ still _ out of town. Other than Nathalie and his bodyguard… both of which were _ employees, _ Adrien didn’t really have any adult figures in his life that he could rely on. Now, if Adrien could just stop being _ afraid- _

“Sorry about that…” Adrien said with a laugh as soon as they were alone, “I’m not sure what came over me.”

“You did seem a bit nervous.” Marinette smiled, reaching over for a glass of water she’d brought into the living room and taking a sip.

“I just had a busy day.” Adrien smiled, “Kagami just drilled me _really_ hard today, and I-”

Marinette immediately _ choked _ on her water, prompting Adrien to abandon his sentence and rush forwards in alarm, catching her in his arms.

“Marinette, are you-”

“I’m _ fine.” _ Marinette said, shaking her head in disbelief at her boyfriend’s choice of words. He really was a product of years of homeschooling, wasn’t he?

Adrien sat down next to Marinette on the family couch, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she turned on the television. She could feel the _ tension _ leaving his body, and could sense that he really was completely _ exhausted, _as he rested his head on top of hers. It was a nice feeling, if just a little bit uncomfortable. Marinette reached to her left, and grabbed a blanket, draping it over the two of them as Adrien casually flipping through the channels.

Marinette sighed, relaxing herself as they bathed in each other’s warmth. Today had been just so damn _ cold, _ and it was only going to get worse.

“Marinette…” Adrien said after a long pause, “You’ve never been akumatized, have you?”

“Never.” Marinette said, and quickly stirred so she could look her boyfriend in the eye, “I mean… you haven’t either, have you?”

“No.” Adrien shook his head, “It’s just, I’ve been thinking… the akuma victims, the people Hawkmoth controls, do they _ accept _his power, or is there no choice?”

It was a strange topic of conversation, especially for a romantic evening with just the two of them. But there was something _ raw _ about Adrien’s question… something that made Marinette believe that he genuinely _ needed _ an answer to it. He needed to know if the akumatized supervillains _ chose _ to attack the city and those close to them. And that was something that _ Marinette _wasn’t qualified to answer.

What would _ Ladybug _ say?

_ “ _ Absolutely not.” Marinette said firmly, “People who get akumatized… Hawkmoth _ made _ them do it, and we can’t blame them for that. Not now, not _ ever. _ If we did that, we’d be on the cases of literally _ hundreds _ of people now.” She studied his face, searching for any signs of doubt, and wasn’t pleased with her findings.

“But Hawkmoth can’t akumatize everyone.” Adrien said, “Only people with negative emotions. I’m not saying that makes it their fault, but you don’t think they’re _ choosing _ it to some degree?”

“No way.” Marinette immediately said, “It’s _ never _ anybody's fault that they’re having a low moment. The only person _ choosing _ it is the man that takes advantage of them.”

Adrien didn’t look completely convinced, for whatever reason. He still looked like he was _ deeply _ considering the question, and that Marinette’s words weren’t quite what he was looking for. It pained her to see, really. Both as his girlfriend and as his superheroine; she didn’t like seeing him this _ upset. _

“This isn't still about my _ father, _ is it?” Marinette tried to joke, and was happy to see Adrien crack a small smile.

“No, not exactly.” Adrien laughed, but a dark expression soon followed, “Scary though your dad might be sometimes, I’m actually thinking about my own father.”

Marinette struggled to keep the scowl off of her face. She had always had her doubts about Gabriel Agreste, but ever since she’d started dating Adrien… she was more certain than _ ever _ that he was a bad influence on her boyfriend. Despite what Adrien might say, Marinette was thoroughly convinced that Gabriel was an _ awful _ father, and she would _ never _ forgive him for trying to stop Adrien from making friends.

“I’m sure you remember the Collector.” Adrien said, “The day I lost his book… he went on a city-wide rampage. He attacked Nathalie, my bodyguard, and probably would’ve attacked me too if I was home.”

“That’s _ awful!” _ Marinette said angrily, remembering that day just as well. It was on that day that she’d first met Lila and Master Fu. But perhaps even _ more _ importantly, it was on that day that Ladybug had become convinced that Gabriel Agreste was _ Hawkmoth. _ After all, he was the one that had the Miraculous spellbook-

“Awful, but not his fault?” Adrien asked, arching an eyebrow as he adjusted their blanket.

“Yes! I mean-” Marinette scowled, taking a deep breath before continuing, _ “No. _ I guess that wasn’t his fault. That was the Collector that did that… _ not _ Gabriel Agreste.”

Adrien face was an enigma now. His previous _ vulnerability _ seemed to have been exchanged for the expression of somebody working to _ hide _ what they were really thinking. Which of course led Marinette to suspect that her boyfriend was still less than convinced.

“I’m… I’m glad you think that.” Adrien said, and began to twirl Marinette’s hair in a way that was surprisingly relaxing, “...and I don’t mean to get all _ deep _ with you, when we should just be enjoying each other’s company. I’m sorry.”

“No problem.” Marinette said, giving his a soft kiss on the cheek, “I don’t want you to _ ever _ think you can’t talk to me about something.”

“Same to you.” Adrien smiled warmly, “I’m _ always _ ready to listen to you, Marinette…”

_ Kagami. _ A dark voice in her mind teased, _ Tell him what you really think about all the time he spends with her. _

But Marinette knew that wouldn’t go over well. She _ did _ trust Adrien, and she doubted that Kagami would actually try something with him, given her reputation for honesty. If she expressed concern, it would just come off as petty _ jealousy, _ and that was not a good look. Adrien would rightfully get defensive about it, since it wasn’t like Marinette had _ any _ reason to distrust him. As long as she believed that he would be faithful, there wasn’t anything to say about it… was there?

“Thanks, Adrien.” Marinette decided to say, “That… that really means a lot.”

**********

“Surprised they haven’t tried to eat each other’s faces yet.” Plagg said grumpily, as he observed the couple from the kitchen with Tikki.

The two of them had talked about mundane things for a while, like what their chosens’ schedules would be like soon, and Gabriel’s invitation for Adrien to go visit him. Tikki had of course called it a bad idea, and Wayzz had quickly piled on as well. Plagg, however, had quietly remarked that it might be good for Adrien to get some space from all of this. 

“Oh, leave them alone.” Tikki said with an eye roll, “I think it’s _ cute _ that they’re dating, and it could really help fix things with Ladybug and Chat Noir too!”

“I hope so.” Plagg shook his head, “Only time will tell I suppose.”

“Besides, Marinette _ needs _ people she can trust now.” Tikki said seriously, “She _ still _ hasn’t reached out to Alya, and doesn’t really hang out with many people besides Adrien these days…”

_ “Adrien?” _ Plagg asked, dropping his voice to mimic Wayzz, _"Remind_ me who that is again?"

“Oh, stop it you!” Tikki said indignantly, but she laughed nonetheless, “I have to _ live _ with that, you know.”

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they watched their chosen wielders continue watching TV together. Their conversation had ended, and both looked like they were happy just _ being _ with each other. And while Plagg and Tikki’s chosens had certainly gotten together before, Plagg had to admit that this was the first time it had ever happened without _ either _ of them knowing the other’s true identity.

“I’m just… _ relieved, _ honestly.” Tikki said quietly, “They’ve both been upset lately, but they’ve done a _ fantastic _ job. It’s been a whole _ year, _ and not only have they beaten Hawkmoth at every turn; their identities are still safe too!”

There was a loophole, one that Plagg was tempted to exploit. While Plagg was _ forbidden _ to reveal Adrien’s secrets to any human, there was nothing preventing him from telling _ Tikki _ about it. And if he told Tikki that Mayura had learned Chat Noir’s true identity, she could tell Marinette about it. It was a trick that worked with everything except secret identities, actually, and Tikki already knew Adrien’s.

But how could he? Dangerous though it might be, Adrien _ clearly _ didn’t want Ladybug to know about all of this. And as much as he might disagree, Plagg would _ always _ have Adrien’s back. He _ couldn’t _ betray him like that.

“Yeah, it’s pretty great.” Plagg said with a forced cheer, “They’ve done a good job, haven’t they?”

**********

“Still can’t believe the semester is _ already _almost over.” Alya said, breaking the silence that had fallen between her and Lila as they finished their history project.

The two of them were inside a library near the school, quietly preparing their presentation. The presentation had partners picked by the teacher, meaning that there was _ no way _ Alya was ever going to end up with Nino. Alya had been hoping to end up with Max or Adrien, given that they were _ easily _ the best students in the class, but Lila was the one Mr. Billings had selected.

“It flew right on by.” Lila said, not making eye contact as she continued to fill out flash cards for their presentation, “I know I didn’t start until a good ways into the year, but still…”

“No, I get it.” Alya agreed, “It feels like it’s barely been a _ week _ since you showed up. I’m still looking at you as the “ _ new girl” _ but it’s already been what… three months? Maybe four? I can’t remember when you showed up…”

Progress on their project was going smoothly. Lila, despite being a complete _ chatterbox _ most of the time, had proven more than once that she could work _ hard _ when she wanted to. When they’d first been paired together for this assignment, Alya had worried that Lila might hold her back, but it seemed like _ Alya _ was the one needing correction, as Lila had caught her mistakes on more than one occasion. 

“I started school on September eleventh.” Lila said, still not looking at Alya, “And that’s of course after coming here for just one day in April of last year.”

“Good memory.” Alya chuckled, “Honestly, I haven’t been here for _ that _much longer than you. I just started at the beginning of last school year.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed that you were any newer than anybody else.” Lila said, arching an eyebrow as she finally stopped writing to look at her partner, “You fit in here very well.”

“I make friends easily.” Alya said, tapping a pen on the table thoughtfully, “Before my mother got hired by the mayor at his hotel… we moved around a _ lot.” _

Alya’s mother had always been a professional chef, and her career had only moved her _ farther _ as the years went by. Chances were that they were done moving, since Paris was considered one of the best cities for food in the entire _ world, _ but Alya had grown accustomed to a somewhat _ nomadic _ lifestyle over the years. Honestly, staying in Paris for what had turned into a year and a half at this point was a bit of an odd feeling.

“Now _ there’s _ something I can relate to.” Lila said, and there was a certain _ genuity _ to her statement that wasn’t usually there. More than just the exaggerated _ excitement _ she usually projected to make people feel good, “My mother has moved me around… I suppose Paris is the _ seventh _place I’ve lived in as many years.”

“Do you like it here?”

“I’d say so.” Lila said thoughtfully, “Paris… there’s things I _ don’t _ like, that’s for sure. But I’d take it over _ Budapest _ any day of the week.” After staring into space for a brief moment, Lila added, “What about you, Alya? Are you happy here in Paris?”

_ “Definitely.” _ Alya said without hesitation, “I mean… I’ve got a boyfriend here. I’ve built the beginnings of my journalism career from essentially _ nothing _ with my Ladyblog. It’s honestly been _ amazing.” _

And Alya meant it. Between Nino and the Ladyblog… there wasn’t much to say besides that she really liked it here. She still wished things had worked out better with Marinette, and Alya _ still _ hadn’t spoken to Ladybug since the night she’d met the Reaper, but when all things were considered, she didn’t have much to complain about at _ all. _ Alya _ loved _ superheroes, and living in a city where they were _ everywhere _ was more than she could have ever hoped for.

“I can’t imagine there’s much to report on when the city hasn’t blown up in _ months.” _Lila said neutrally, but it was clear that she was paying close attention to Alya’s responses.

“You said it.” Alya said with a small laugh, “Can’t say I’m _ mad _ that Hawkmoth’s reign of terror seems to be winding down, but it’s not exactly good for business either.”

“Do you think he’ll ever come back?” Lila asked, “I mean… he clearly hasn’t gotten what he wanted. Ladybug is still out there.”

“We’re talking about the guy that assembled a literal _ army _ of supervillains at the Eiffel Tower, and then got beat within the hour.” Alya said confidently, “Hawkmoth _ might _ have a bit left in the tank, but losing so much… it has _ got _ to take a toll on him.” Alya paused thoughtfully before continuing, “Besides, I wouldn’t worry. Ladybug and Chat Noir will be able to handle things, even if he does show his face.”

But Alya privately cringed, remembering the last time she’d spoken with the spotted superheroine. In that moment, Ladybug had basically _ melted, _ lashing out at both her and Chat Noir. It was clear that Ladybug was _ more _ than just a pedestal, and more than just an icon for the people of Paris to worship; Ladybug really was just another teenager, no different from Alya, or Lila, or Marinette.

“I don’t know.” Lila said, tilting her head in consideration, “They seemed to have struggled in their last battle… everybody saw that Ladybug didn’t even show up until _ after _ all of the hostages were saved. I think she might be starting to _ crack.” _

To hear _ Lila _ of all people say that… it was discouraging. This was the same girl that had made waves when she first arrived in Paris by talking about how she’d met Ladybug personally, and that she would even consider the two of them “good friends.” Alya had always somewhat doubted the validity of that, but it was clear that Lila was at least of fan of the bug. And if Lila was doubting her…

“Hey, why so negative?” Alya asked, giving Lila a playful nudge, “It’s like I said; I bet Hawkmoth never shows his face again. Even if Ladybug is faltering… which I _ sincerely _ doubt, she’s never given us a reason to believe she won’t bounce back.”

“Hm.” Lila said, shrugging indifferently, “I hope you’re right, but I can’t see somebody that’s worked _ this hard _ to get the Miraculous just stopping one day…”

**********

“I sense… a powerful _ positive _emotion” Hawkmoth said, internally cringing at his line as he removed a small butterfly from his bag, “Come on now...”

Hawkmoth opened his palm a bit, pleased that his winged companion didn’t immediately fly away. It seemed perfectly content just _ sitting _ there, clearly recognizing the wielder of the Butterfly Miraculous as an authority figure of sorts, or at the very least a _ trustworthy _ presence. It really was an _ elegant _ creature, and it was a shame that Hawkmoth had abandoned its true _ power _ for so long.

He placed his left hand over his open right palm, miming the same motion he’d done countless times to _ evilize _ his akuma. This was the only way to infuse the butterfly with _ power, _ power enough to give a local charity worker extra endurance to make it through the cold day.

Hawkmoth focused, concentrating on the things that made him _ happy, _ few as they were. 

Adrien was an obvious choice. Seeing his own son model his designs, and building his own name in the process was a true _ honor. _ Adrien’s academic success with perhaps even more _ astounding; _ while the boy sometimes lacked quick critical thinking and didn’t seem especially _ curious, _ Adrien’s rote memorization ability was second to almost _ nobody. _ Adrien was now fluent in four languages, a champion fencer, and a gifted piano player. 

But Gabriel cringed, thinking of the negatives… 

Adrien was squirming in his seat, having been caught after stealing the Miraculous spellbook on camera. He told Gabriel… what was it? That he didn’t know his father very well... In the year since Emilie had departed, and even _ before _ then, Gabriel was seldom present for any of Adrien’s great achievements… He had instead opted to simply read about them later on formal reports from Nathalie. 

Hawkmoth’s eyes widened, as the butterfly in his hands turned to a cruel _ black. _ It had become an akuma, just like every other time he’d used his powers.

“Wings fall.” Gabriel said grimly, after dismissing the akuma’s power, and gave Nooroo a pained look as the kwami materialized.

“I told you it might not be easy.” Nooroo soothed, “After all the times you’ve used your Miraculous for… uh, I mean-”

“For _ evil.” _ Gabriel supplied, sitting down on a nearby log, “It’s okay Nooroo… you don’t need to sugarcoat the truth.”   
  


The French countryside, for what little remained of it after all these years, was still a soothing place to be. This forest in particular was well-known for its lush plant life and peaceful aura. However, the branches were all _ bare _ at this point _ . _ The wildlife simply wasn’t present, as the December weather wasn’t suitable for most of it. It seemed that the _ only _ living creatures out here now were Gabriel, Nooroo, and the butterflies they’d brought with them.

“For evil…” Nooroo mused, “Yeah, that’s what I meant.”

“Is this brooch _ capable _ of being used for good ever again?” Gabriel asked, fingering his Miraculous, “Have I _ corrupted _ to the point that it can no longer-”

_ “No!” _ Nooroo interrupted, “The black magic you worked on that brooch… it’s _ powerful, _ make no mistake, but it can be overcome. A kind heart can do _ anything. _ If you wield my power with _ pure _ intentions, the spells can be broken!”

“Then my intentions are _ not _ pure.” Gabriel said quietly, “I’m still holding on… aren’t I?”

“Not like you were before.” Nooroo said, landing on Gabriel’s shoulder, “You’ve made _ so much _ progress, Gabriel! If we work _ together, _ we can _ beat _ this!”

“I want to believe that…” Gabriel said grimly, cradling Nooroo in his hands. It was still _ odd, _ being so openly affectionate to a being he’d essentially _ enslaved _ for an entire year. Nooroo’s forgiveness was perhaps the only thing that kept him going now… if he didn’t have that, he wasn’t sure _ what _ he might do.

“Believe it then.” Nooroo said, adding a hum of approval, “And if you start to falter, I’ll be there to pick up the slack.”

But regardless of how supportive the strange purple creature might be, Gabriel couldn’t ignore the fact that he was sitting on a log in the middle of the woods, hiding the fact that he used to be a dangerous butterfly man to his own parents. The weather was foul, he was _ tired, _ and his experiment hadn’t even succeeded. He’d wanted to create a _ champion, _ and not just a puppet. To do that, he needed to concentrate his _ positive _ emotions, the opposite of what Hawkmoth had done before. 

“When the butterfly became an akuma…” Gabriel gestured to the butterfly in question, as it had landed on a branch above them, “...I was thinking about _ Adrien _ of all things, and my less than ideal relationship with him.”

“Well, it’s like I said before you transformed.” Nooroo said, “You have to focus on the _ positive. _ Focusing on loss and despair is what creates those _ vile _ things.”

And yet, Gabriel was genuinely _ lost _ on what positive memories he might use. Other than Adrien, and Nathale to an extent, there wasn’t much material. And thinking about either of them came with tremendous _ baggage. _ When using Adrien, Gabriel had to consider the ways in which he’d been an inadequate father. And if he was to use Nathalie, Gabriel would have to confront his villainous past...

“Do you think Adrien will accept my offer to come visit?” Gabriel asked, finally breaking the silence, “I can’t imagine he’s happy with me…”

He’d called Adrien a few weeks back. They’d made small talk, discussing the mundane occurrences of ordinary life. Gabriel had mentioned some interesting designs he was making, and Adrien had said something about a girl he was seeing… for whatever reason, Gabriel had forgotten to ask for her name, and Adrien hadn’t volunteered it. The tension in the conversation had been _ obvious, _ and Gabriel had realized that he needed to see his son in person.

“A boy will want to see his father.” Nooroo said hesitantly, “But I’d be prepared to answer a _ lot _ of questions if I were you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're still in the establishing chapters right now, of course. However, I promise that the plot will get moving soon! Hope you enjoy!


	3. Persuasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette try to sell Tom and Sabine on a trip down south, while Nino tries to be a good older brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the first two, so sorry about that!

“See, it’s only a few hours drive.” Adrien explained hopefully, but he was clearly beginning to doubt his chances of success, “We’d only be down there for one weekend, and the semester will be over by then anyways…”

“We’re not saying  _ no _ just yet.” Tom said, still looking a bit confused, “But surely you understand why we’re a little bit  _ concerned?” _

Marinette honestly wasn’t sure which direction her parents were going to tilt on this one. Her parents were generally pretty lax, but letting her go to Marseilles with Adrien for an entire  _ weekend? _ That was a bit much. They trusted Adrien of course, and their trust in Marinette was even  _ more _ important, but they were still teenagers. The request was even more  _ bold _ when considering that Marinette had only left Paris a handful of times, and  _ always _ with her parents. It was hard to say which way they’d lean.

Chances were, they’d put off making a decision for later. Marinette and Adrien were asking for a lot, and the request had sprung out of pretty much  _ nowhere. _

“Of course.” Adrien said with a nod, “But I  _ promise _ you that everything will be okay. My grandparent’s house is  _ plenty _ big. We can stay in different rooms and everything.”

“That’s a given.” Sabine said with a snort, but her face was still deep in thought, “You say that your father and grandparents will be around the  _ entire _ time?”

Apparently, Adrien’s father had invited him for a visit next weekend, right after the school semester ended. He’d been mulling it over for a few days now, and had mentioned it to Marinette just as they finished watching TV. Adrien had originally been  _ joking _ when he suggested that Marinette tag along with him, but Marinette took the suggestion very seriously. After all, Adrien’s relationship with his father was  _ far _ from perfect, and she figured that he could use all of the support her could get:

“We won’t be alone.” Adrien nodded, “My bodyguard will be the one driving us, and he’ll be there too.”

“Even so, Marseilles is  _ awful _ far.” Tom said uncomfortably, and Marinette felt a pang of annoyance.

“Dad, I’m about to turn  _ sixteen.” _ Marinette said indignantly, “I’m a big girl now; I can handle myself without the two of you to hold my hand.”

Tom and Sabine both looked like they wanted to argue, but clearly thought better of it. Instead, they just shared a look between the two of them, as if they were having a silent conversation with only their eyes. Marinette snuck a look at Adrien, who looked  _ intrigued _ by the connection her parents were sharing. Just as Marinette was about to speak again, Tom tilted his head, and Sabine seemed to shrug.

“Could you give us a minute?” Sabine asked politely, “We should probably discuss this  _ privately _ before we say anything.”

“Of course.” Adrien said graciously, and took Marinette’s hand, steering her towards the kitchen.

Marinette wasn’t feeling optimistic about their chances right now. All things considered, she was lucky that neither parent got mad about her little outburst, but Marinette still felt like it was something that needed to be said. Her parents meant well, but they  _ knew _ that Adrien and her would be under close supervision the entire time. After all, Marinette’s boyfriend still wasn’t allowed out of the house by himself, and was honestly one of the purest souls she’d ever met. There was  _ no way _ he was going to try something.

Adrien pulled out a chair at the kitchen table for her, always the gentleman. Marinette couldn’t help but laugh as he added a mocking bow, but felt her heart sadden a bit too. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that Chat Noir would’ve done something like this for Ladybug. But that ship had certainly sailed, hadn’t it?

“I’m surprised we’ve made it this far.” Adrien said jokingly, as soon as they were both seated across from each other, “They actually seem to be considering it.”

“They might say yes.” Marinette said quietly. 

“I hope they do.” Adrien said, “It’ll make the trip something to actually look forward to, and not just a  _ chore.” _

They fell into a comfortable silence at that, both getting lost in each other’s gaze. His eyes were a brilliant green, unlike anything she’d ever seen before. They reminded her of emeralds… no, it was more like nature… or  _ maybe _ she was just thinking about Chat Noir again. His eyes were even  _ greener, _ the Cat Miraculous tampering with them to give him nightvision. Adrien’s were prettier, in Marinette’s completely objective opinion, but Chat Noir’s were certainly not bad either...

_ Stop. _ Marinette privately chided herself. She couldn’t afford to keep thinking about her partner at a time like this. She finally had the guy of her dreams,  _ Adrien,  _ and thinking about Chat Noir was a waste of everybody’s time. It was clear that Chat Noir didn’t even feel that way about her anymore, even if she was interested (which she wasn’t).

“Have you been to their house before?” Marinette asked, referring to Adrien’s grandparents, desperate to think about something else.

“A couple of times.” Adrien said, “But not since my mother left. My father never had the closest relationship with them, and I always got the feeling he was there out of  _ obligation, _ and not because he actually wanted to see them.” Adrien shook his head, clearly bothered, “It really is a pattern in my family, isn’t it?”

“Maybe it doesn’t have to be.” Marinette suggested, placing one of her hands on his, “You still have time, don’t you?”

_ “Maybe.” _ Adrien gave her a warm smile, but it seemed a bit  _ forced. _

Honestly though, Marinette had no idea what to say. When push came to shove, Marinette had to admit that she was pretty lucky with her family. Her parents had gotten into a few light arguments over the years, but nothing serious. They were both still  _ here, _ after all. And while Tom was certainly distant with his father, Marinette still had a basic support structure, on both sides of her family.

“Now, while we’re on the topic of strained relationships…” Adrien looked at her somewhat sheepishly.

“What do you-  _ oh.” _ Marinette sighed, realizing what he was talking about, “You know I’m working on that, I’m just-”

“Putting it off.” Adrien said, but not unkindly. He gave her a soft smile, “Look, I know I don’t understand everything that happened between you guys, but I  _ do _ know that it’ll take more than a stupid fight to drive you and Alya apart.”

It was a bit more than a “stupid fight,” but Marinette wasn’t really at liberty to get into it. More than anything, this was the result of Alya getting sick and tired of Marinette flaking out whenever they tried to do something together. 

But as rough as that had made things between them, it paled in comparison to what Marinette had said to her the first night the Reaper struck. Alya had no way of knowing that it was really _ Ladybug _ that was upset with her, and Marinette was merely projecting that. To her, it had looked like Marinette just lashed out for no reason, and been a rotten friend, something that made Alya  _ justifiably _ upset. It was something Marinette couldn’t explain away either, without  _ lying, _ or revealing the truth about Ladybug. Neither was something she could bring herself to do. Did Alya still even  _ admire _ Ladybug? Marinette wouldn’t know, but she somehow doubted it. The Ladyblog had gone fairly inactive since the Reaper, with the only real update being the addition of a Chat Noir section.

But before Marinette could say anything to her expectant boyfriend, both teenagers were interrupted when Marinette’s parents entered the kitchen.

“I admit you make a good case.” Tom said, looking at Adrien with a somewhat begrudging expression, “And I really can’t think of a good reason to say no…”

“You mean… you’re letting her go?” Adrien asked hesitantly.

_ “Best behavior.” _ Sabine said, looking at both of the teenagers, but  _ especially _ at Marinette.

This was a  _ surprise. _ While Marinette had thought they might give in, Marinette had sincerely doubted they’d give permission  _ now. _ Honestly, the best case scenario she’d pictured was the two of them promising to “think about it” until they eventually just let it happen, but she hadn’t imagined they’d just  _ allow _ it. 

“My daughter is right.” Tom said sadly, and looked Marinette straight in the eye, “You’re growing up quickly… more than I’ve been ready for I suppose. You get good grades, you help out in the bakery  _ all _ the time… The  _ least _ we can do is let you make your own decision on something like this.”

Marinette stared back, not sure how to react.

“That’s  _ awesome! _ Thank you, Mr. Dupain, Mrs. Cheng…” Adrien said, and Marinette couldn’t help but smile at the innocent  _ joy _ written on her boyfriend’s face.

**********

“Dude,  _ seriously?” _ Nino groaned, refusing to look his little brother in the eye.

He was in the middle of getting flashcards ready for his history presentation, working on the kitchen table to get more space. He’d been making decent progress, but if he didn’t  _ hurry, _ he wasn’t going to make his deadline. It  _ certainly _ meant that he wasn’t going to be able to help his brother Chris out with his homework. 

“It’s  _ just _ a couple of problems!” Chris argued, waving the textbook desperately as he paced the apartment’s small kitchen, “I  _ cannot _ afford to fail pre-algebra. You  _ know _ Mom will kill me if I flunk the final-”

“Yeah, and I also know that Ms. Berger is a damn good teacher.” Nino said accusingly, as Chris seemed to  _ squirm, _ “-meaning that you  _ definitely _ should’ve learned all of these things throughout the semester. If  _ I  _ could learn pre-algebra from her, then you’ve got no excuse. I’ve got my own project to work on, and I  _ have _ to get my part done before Alix gets here! She’ll probably smack me if I haven’t pulled my own weight.”

Nino wasn’t going to pretend not to feel at least a  _ little _ bad though. Chris’s grades had been getting  _ better, _ even though they were still a point of constant family strife. And even though most of these problems were Chris’s own fault, both Nino and his mother recognized that Chris was finally making an effort. It was something that they  _ needed _ to encourage, if Chris really was going to make a comeback. 

“Math is  _ hard.” _ Chris said with a sigh, “And yeah, maybe I should’ve paid better attention, but I left all of my notes over at Dad’s apartment, so can you  _ really _ blame me?”

Living with both of their parents at different times had been a rough change for both of the Lahiffe boys,  _ especially _ Chris. While Nino had already been starting his teen years at the time of the divorce, Chris had barely been  _ nine _ at the time. All things considered, the wound was still pretty fresh for both of them. Nino tried not to make a big deal of it, especially considering how many families had a parent out of the picture  _ entirely, _ but it still  _ hurt. _

“You haven’t been to Dad’s in nearly a  _ week.” _ Nino’s eyes narrowed, “How have you made it all this time without your notes?”

“Barely at all, that’s how. And if you don’t help me-”

_ “Look.” _ Nino took a deep breath, “I  _ promise _ that I’ll help you with your math stuff  _ later. _ Right now, I have to worry about getting these flashcards done before Alix blows up on me. Could you  _ please _ just give me some space for now?”

Chris looked at his brother suspiciously, as Nino was still putting off helping him, but it didn’t take long for the younger Lahiffe boy to back off and leave Nino alone in the kitchen. After all, it wasn’t like he could  _ force _ Nino to help, and the promise of some help later was better than getting nothing. At the very least, he could use it to pressure Nino with later.

Moments later, Chris left the kitchen with a grateful nod.

As soon as he was alone again, Nino let out a disappointed  _ sigh. _ Honestly, he was wondering how he had time for  _ anything _ these days. Between school, and his blossoming career as a DJ around Paris, he only  _ barely _ made time to hang out with Alya like he should. That left almost no time at all to spend on other things that  _ really _ mattered, like helping Chris out with his homework. He was honestly grateful that Ladybug hadn’t needed Carapace lately. Adding super-powered mayhem to his schedule could only make things worse at this point, as fun as it might be.

Alya was worried that she’d lost Ladybug’s trust since the whole incident with the Reaper, but Nino doubted it. From Nino’s admittedly secondhand understanding of the situation, it sounded like Ladybug had simply told Alya what she needed to hear; going out in the middle of the night for a story was  _ not _ okay. It didn’t mean that they weren’t going to work together again. If anything, it showed that Ladybug cared about Alya a  _ lot. _

“We’re in agreement there.” Nino said out loud, putting his headphones back on as he continued to work on his presentation. 

He hadn’t hung out with Adrien in  _ weeks, _ he realized, even without Gabriel in town to get in the way of everything. Ever since Adrien had started dating Marinette, she had come to monopolize most of his already limited free time-  _ well, _ Marinette and  _ Kagami,  _ Nino realized. Adrien was spending a  _ lot _ of time with the Japanese girl, pushing Nino to a mere third place on the totem pole. Kagami and Adrien had been friends since the day they met, but the two of them seemed to be all over each other ever since the Reaper kidnapped Kagami a few months back.

Nino wasn’t mad, or even jealous for that matter. After all, he had barely noticed their lack of time together. They still got to spend most of the school day together… well, at least when Adrien wasn’t talking to Marinette, and Nino wasn’t spending time with Alya. They seemed to be growing apart, and as Nino got up to answer the door and explain to Alix why he wasn’t finished with his part just yet, Nino realized that he didn’t feel bitter.

He just felt  _ sad. _

**********

“Have you seen Nathalie?” Adrien asked his bodyguard as they entered, the mansion, “I was hoping to talk to her about my schedule for the week.”

Instead of speaking, Adrien’s bodyguard simply shook his head no. He pointed at a text he’d received, explaining that his father’s assistant was going to be in a conference call for at  _ least _ another hour. Adrien found himself strangely  _ annoyed _ by that fact, realizing that his relationship with Nathalie was quickly turning into a pathetic imitation of the way he interacted with his father. Nathalie wasn’t even  _ family, _ but Adrien found himself wanting an adult figure he could talk about his day with. 

It was times like this that Adrien found himself trying more than ever to convince his bodyguard to actually  _ speak, _ but he was yet to succeed.

“Isn’t it a bit late for a conference?” Adrien gestured to the total darkness outside, and his bodyguard just  _ shrugged, _ refusing to use his words.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you slipping away before dinner started.” Adrien said to Plagg as soon as he’d closed the door to his bedroom. Plagg simply rolled his eyes, landing on Adrien’s nightstand and stretching out as the boy began to change into his bedclothes. This wasn’t the  _ first _ time they’d had this conversation, after all.

Overall, Adrien was pretty happy with his day. It was  _ tiring, _ to say the least, especially after how hard Kagami had pushed him at practice, but spending time with Marinette in the evening had been  _ exactly _ what he needed. And honestly, having put the whole incident behind him, Adrien was beginning to feel dumber and dumber for how he’d acted around Tom Dupain. The man had only ever treated him with kindness, and didn’t deserve Adrien’s fear. Marinette had put it pretty well, actually. The only person that was  _ really _ at fault in any of this was Hawkmoth.

_ Hawkmoth. _ Were Ladybug and Chat Noir  _ ever _ going to find him? And even if they did, could they beat him this time? Hawkmoth had proven himself to be a far more dangerous opponent than either of them had imagined, defeating both of them  _ together _ on heroes’ day. If it wasn’t for Rena Rouge and the others, Hawkmoth would’ve actually managed to claim the Miraculous that day, despite an entire  _ army _ of supervillains failing.

It was yet  _ another _ reason that they should pull Alya, Nino, and Chloe onto the team full time, but Chat Noir apparently didn’t have any authority in that discussion.

“Hey, what was I supposed to do?” Plagg asked, as Adrien finished getting changed, “I can’t exactly stay in your pocket while you and Marinette crawl all over each other.” Plagg shuddered at the thought, “That would be weird for  _ both _ of us.”

“Shut up Plagg.” Adrien said, reddening just a bit at his companion’s insinuation, “You know we’ve kept it PG.”

“So you say.” Plagg said with a snicker.

It was the truth. Adrien was growing closer and closer to Marinette as time went on, but they were yet to go the  _ full mile, _ to put it elegantly. Honestly, Adrien was just happy with the way things were going now. If Marinette wanted to take things further… he’d cross that bridge if he got there, but he would  _ never _ approach her with an offer like that. From a young age,  _ both _ of his parents had made it very clear that Adrien would act as a gentleman at all times. And regardless of how he currently felt towards his father, Adrien wasn’t about to change that.

Still, Adrien wasn’t going to pretend that he didn’t find such an idea…  _ appealing, _ even if it was just a little bit.

“If Marinette calls me saying that all of their bakery cheese has been  _ stolen...” _ Adrien chided his companion, shaking his head as he finished putting on a new shirt for bed. He turned back around, preparing to go brush his teeth, “...then you’re not getting any snacks during the school day until at least-” 

Adrien froze, eyes widening as he noticed something frighteningly  _ wrong _ about his bedroom. Right underneath the walkway...

“No school snacks until at least  _ when?” _ Plagg demanded, whirling around to face Adrien, “Answer me you-  _ oh.” _

“I hope I’m not interrupting something.” Mayura said cooly, just barely visible in the dark of Adrien’s bedroom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify, the scene with Nino is set much earlier in the day. He and Alix aren't working on their project in the middle of the night. That would be weird.
> 
> Hope to have another chapter up soon, and thanks for reading as always!


	4. Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette argues with the kwamis, Gabriel gets emasculated by his parents, and Adrien confronts his mysterious visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used some bad words in this chapter.

“You’re  _ kidding, _ right?” Wayzz spluttered, staring at Marinette in shock, as if she’d just suggested genocide, “You can’t just  _ leave _ Paris! What if Hawkmoth-”

“-What if there was a gigantic  _ hurricane _ that knocked over the Eiffel Tower?” Marinette interrupted, narrowing her eyes, “What if all the dead bodies in the catacombs all rose up as zombies, and laid waste to the city?” Marinette shook her head in annoyance, “What if  _ I  _ just wanted to spend a weekend with my boyfriend?”

She had been preparing to go to bed, when Marinette realized that she might as well tell the kwamis about her plans  _ now. _ After all, they were going to be mad either way, and putting it off wasn’t going to help anything.

Marinette had figured that their conversation might go over like this, but she didn’t really  _ care _ at this point. Paris could make it one  _ weekend _ without her, regardless of what Hawkmoth probably  _ wouldn’t _ do. Chances were  _ remote _ that he would come out of hiding on the exact day that Ladybug was out of town. Even if he did strike, there was  _ nothing _ preventing Marinette from just taking care of it once she got back. It wasn’t like Marseilles was in a different  _ country, _ it was just a few hours away from Paris.

“I get your point Marinette, I really do!” Tikki tried to reason, fluttering near Marinette’s face to get her attention, “I know that you  _ really _ want to go on this trip with Adrien, and he might really need some support down there, but this is about the  _ greater good! _ This is about keeping the city safe, no matter what. You have a duty-”

“Yeah, well maybe I didn’t  _ ask _ for this duty.” Marinette snapped, and immediately regretted it as both Tikki and Wayzz’s eyes widened.

It wasn’t a conversation she was ready for even if she really  _ didn’t _ want to be Ladybug (something  _ she _ wasn’t even sure of). After all, this had to do with  _ a lot _ more than just this trip with Adrien. After everything that had gone down between her and Alya... after the way she’d found herself letting Lila get away with everything… Marinette realized that whether she considered as Ladybug or not,  _ something _ needed to change.

“Marinette… you don’t mean-”

_ “No!” _ Marinette interrupted, and took a calming breath before looking back at the now concerned-looking Tikki, “Look… just ignore that. I’d  _ really _ like to just go to bed now, and we can talk in the morning if you’re  _ really _ still upset about the Adrien thing.”

“I certainly am.” Wayzz huffed, “If you’re truly insistent on shirking your duties, then there’s certainly  _ nothing _ Tikki or I can do about it-”

“In the  _ morning, _ Wayzz.” Marinette interrupted, burying herself under her sheets. Despite the  _ wonderful _ evening with Adrien, Marinette was more than ready for this day to be over. Sleep was a place she didn’t have to listen to this constant  _ nagging. _ It was a time that she didn’t have to worry about being everybody’s hero, or the fact that Master Fu  _ still _ hadn’t called after all this time. 

Hopefully Adrien’s night had ended better than hers...

**********

“I hope I’m not interrupting something.” Mayura said cooly, just barely visible in the dark of Adrien’s bedroom. Her skin was still an unnatural  _ blue, _ and her eyes lacked any signs of life. She looked almost like a zombie, or some other kind of undead creature. But most importantly, she was staring straight at  _ him, _ having infiltrated Adrien’s bedroom like it was  _ nothing. _ While her expression was partially hidden by her mask, Mayura still managed to look almost  _ amused _ by the whole situation.

“How did you get here?” Plagg demanded, breaking the awkward silence. He floated between her and Adrien, fixing the Peacock supervillain with a  _ vicious  _ glare.

“Careful planning pays off.” Mayura said cryptically.

_ No. _ He had been careful… This mansion had some of the best security in the entire  _ country! _ How had she gotten in? What was she doing here? Was she here to take his Miraculous? If so, why not just wait until he was asleep? Adrien could hear Kagami and Plagg’s warnings about taking Mayura seriously over the last few months, playing on loop inside his head. They had been  _ right, _ apparently, and he had just ignored them, thinking himself invincible.

He had to do  _ something… _

“Plagg,  _ claws out!” _ Adrien snapped, and the small kwami was immediately sucked into his ring. Mayura made no move to intercept, instead opting to just stare at him, almost  _ lazily. _

As soon as he was finished transforming, Chat Noir immediately whipped the baton off of his back, extending it to a practical length for a close-ranged battle such as the one clearly about to unfold. He brandished his weapon at the still unmoving Mayura, as he quickly assumed a combative stance. Regardless of any tricks that Mayura  _ definitely _ had up her sleeve, Chat Noir wasn’t going down without a fight.

“Please.” Mayura said, finally stepping forwards. She held her palms up diplomatically, and made sure to hold an intense eye contact with the feline hero as she approached him, “There is no need for things to get  _ nasty.” _

“I’m not so sure...” Chat Noir countered, moving towards his opponent, “What are you  _ doing _ here? Why  _ now?” _

“Because I’ve waited long enough.” Mayura said confidently.

The bedroom really was  _ huge, _ and would consequently make an ample space for the two of them to fight it out. The walkway above could mess with the exact battle choices, but Mayura would still be facing Chat Noir on his home turf. Adrien had lived here for over a  _ decade _ now, and was fairly confident that he would win a straight up fight against Mayura  _ anywhere, _ and especially in the room he knew best.

“You can’t  _ beat  _ me.” Chat Noir said, looking around suspiciously, “Not without Hawkmoth, or one of your sentimonsters. Unless you’ve  _ really _ been hitting the gym since our last fight, I’m gonna come out on top.”

Mayura wasn’t  _ weak, _ not by any stretch of the imagination. But it was clear from the few times they’d fought that she wasn’t nearly as powerful as  _ most _ of Hawkmoth’s akuma, and wasn’t even  _ close _ to Hawkmoth himself. It meant that there was almost certainly a catch here; there had to be some way that Mayura was going to turn the tables on him. Either she’d brought more help than she'd let on, or there was something  _ else _ going on.

“Maybe you’re right.” Mayura said, “Your Miraculous would trump mine  _ easily, _ especially if you knew how to use it properly.”

“Want me to show you how well I can use it?” Chat Noir snapped, twirling his baton aggressively.

“I’m not here to fight.” Mayura shook her head.

_ Not here to fight? _ That scared Chat Noir even more than if Hawkmoth himself showed up beside her. If she wasn’t here to fight, that meant that she  _ wanted _ something from him. She could threaten his family, she could threaten to expose his identity to the public, or find some other way to coerce him. Whatever she wanted, it couldn’t be good.

“Then what  _ are _ you here for?” He demanded, stepping a bit closer, “I somehow doubt you just wanted to make small talk.”

“No,  _ Adrien.” _ Chat Noir felt his skin crawl as Mayura opted to use his true name, “I’m here to discuss something a bit more personal… for  _ both  _ of us.” She paused, as if choosing her words carefully, “I think I can make you an offer. Something that will benefit you more than you could possibly know-”

_ “Forget it.” _ He interrupted, stepping so that they were only a few meters apart, “I’m not going to help you with  _ anything. _ You and Hawkmoth… you’ve terrorized this city for a  _ year  _ now! I can’t just let that go!”

“Oh, Adrien.” She actually  _ smiled  _ as she spoke. It was a strange,  _ terrifying _ contortion of her unnatural face that Adrien never wanted to see again, “How did I  _ know _ you were going to say that? You’ve become quite the hero…” She tapped her chin thoughtfully, looking straight at Chat Noir with her cold,  _ dead _ eyes.

Why were they still  _ talking? _ If convincing him to join her was  _ really _ her only play, then she was an idiot! She’d exposed herself, giving him an opportunity to take her out. There was still no sign of Hawkmoth or any akumatized villains… meaning there was  _ nothing _ preventing him from attacking Mayura. She had to realize that, didn’t she? And if so, why was she still here? She had already admitted that she would probably lose this fight.

“Then you  _ know _ I won’t bend.” Chat Noir said with forced bravado.

“Not unless I give you a good reason to.” Mayura agreed.

Whatever Mayura was playing at… he didn’t like it. She was yet to threaten his family, or his friends, but she clearly had some cards close to her chest. Mayura hadn’t made her offer yet, but Adrien had to imagine that it was going to be something to do with the power of combining his Miraculous with Ladybug’s. It was one of the few things Master Fu had actually bothered to explain on his  _ one _ visit to the Agreste Mansion. Combining the two most powerful Miraculous… it granted  _ absolute _ power. 

Whatever it was that Mayura was offering, Adrien wasn’t going to give in. As mad as he might be at Master Fu, Chat Noir wasn’t so far gone as to forget who the real enemy was. It was time for the  _ talk _ to end.

“You can’t  _ control _ me.” Chat Noir said, “There’s  _ nothing _ you could offer me that could make me change my mind.”

“You sound pretty sure of that…” Mayura taunted, reaching behind her back-

-But before she could draw whatever she was reaching for, Chat Noir sprung into action, leaping across the bedroom at his opponent with a desperate swing of his baton. Mayura flipped to the side, just narrowly avoiding the feral attack. She dropped whatever she’d been reaching for as she flew, a  _ paper _ by the looks of it, and landed near the entrance to the bathroom. Chat Noir pursued, and Mayura was unable to counter the feline’s next attack: an aggressive  _ extension _ of his baton straight into her chest that immediately sent her flying.

Mayura crashed right into the bathroom door, knocking it open and sending the Peacock villain straight through it. Chat Noir blinked in surprise, realizing that he was indeed easily overpowering his opponent. Rather than follow up, however, Chat Noir stopped, reaching down for the piece of paper that his opponent had dropped. 

It was a  _ photograph, _ by the looks of it. It was in the middle of what looked to be some kind of forest, with countless white butterflies hovering nearby. The entire image, however, was focused around what looked to be some kind of  _ coffin, _ in the middle of the entire sanctuary. The front was fortunately made of glass or some kind of clear plastic, allowing Chat Noir to get a good look at the woman inside-

“What the  _ hell _ is this!?” Chat Noir’s eyes widened in horror.

“Stay calm, Adrien.” Mayura’s voice called, as she emerged from the bathroom, “I think you know what that picture is…”

His  _ mother. _ Gabriel had easily  _ dozens  _ of photos of her all around the mansion, but this one was nothing like any of those. In this photo, Emilie Agreste was dead… no, maybe  _ asleep?  _ Adrien could feel his heart pounding as he realized that the woman inside was  _ undeniably _ his mother. He hadn’t seen her in nearly two years now! She had just gone missing one day, without even saying goodbye. There was some kind of screen or control panel on the front of the coffin… what on Earth could it mean?

No matter what was going on, this was the  _ last _ thing Adrien had expected Mayura to pull out, and it was enough for him to drop his baton in shock. This couldn’t be  _ real, _ could it? There was no way that  _ Mayura _ had found his mother, when his father had been trying for  _ years _ now. This had to be some kind of  _ trick. _

“It’s a  _ fake!” _ Chat Noir yelled, eyes tearing up despite being near one of his greatest enemies, “I won’t let you get inside my  _ head _ like this!”

“Your mother is  _ alive, _ Adrien.” Mayura said cooly, holding eye contact. “Your Miraculous… when used in conjunction with Ladybug’s, has the power to bring her back!”

_ “Don’t.” _ Chat Noir shook his head, “I won’t fall for that… I  _ won’t.” _

But Chat Noir was talking more to himself than Mayura. To say that he wasn’t tempted by the promise of restoring his family was a complete  _ lie.  _ Adrien had been expecting some kind of offer from the blue supervillain, but  _ nothing _ like this. To say that he was blindsided was an understatement; he was honestly expecting to wake up and learn that this was some kind of sick nightmare at any moment.

His Miraculous… it could really bring his mother back?

“You don’t have to  _ trust  _ me.” Mayura said confidently, stepping out of the bathroom and closer to him, “Listen to me, Adrien-”

_ “Stop _ calling me that!” He snapped, “You don’t  _ know _ me.”

“But I know  _ enough.” _ She countered. “I know that this family of yours is  _ broken. _ Your father is lost in his grief because your mother is  _ gone. _ The only way to get  _ both _ of them back is to-”

_ “Cataclysm!” _ Chat Noir screamed, and Mayura’s eyes widened in momentary panic as the ultimate power of destruction filled the palm of his hand.

In that moment, Chat Noir wasn’t sure  _ what _ he was capable of. All he knew was that everything he believed was now in doubt. Would he kill Mayura? He didn’t know. All Chat Noir knew was that if he let Mayura keep talking, or if he stopped to really  _ think  _ about all of this… then he might not be proud of the decision he’d make. He had to do  _ something. _

Mayura looked between the bubbling black energy and the boy wielding it, as if privately deciding whether or not Chat Noir would actually use it on her. After all, if he managed to hit her with Cataclysm, she would  _ certainly _ die. Mayura would turn to ash, and completely vanish from existence unless Ladybug used her power to restore her. And if Chat Noir didn’t tell Ladybug about this encounter… that would  _ never _ happen.

“I don’t think you’re ready to become a killer.” Mayura challenged, but took a cautious step backwards anyway.

“You have no  _ idea _ what I’m capable of.” Chat Noir said shakily, stepping after her.

“If you lay a  _ finger _ on me,” Mayura warned, “Hawkmoth will make sure that your precious  _ Marinette _ never sees the light of day again.”

Chat Noir’s eyes widened, as he processed the supervillain’s threat. He began to internally panic, as he realized that Hawkmoth or Mayura could  _ definitely _ hurt Marinette to get to him. There was no way that Chat Noir could keep her safe around the clock. He couldn’t even keep  _ himself _ safe, as Mayura had apparently infiltrated the Agreste Mansion with relative ease.

If Marinette got killed or injured because of _him…_ could he live with himself? Marinette, despite how strong and brave she often showed herself to be, was still just a _civilian._ She was human, and if Hawkmoth or Mayura attacked her, she’d _bleed._ Marinette was _fragile,_ and if _anything_ happened to her, that’d be on him. Adrien was the one who’d decided that it was okay to date her while one of the most dangerous people in Paris knew his identity. He’d put her life in jeopardy… for no good reason.

“Don’t you  _ dare _ hurt her!” Chat Noir tried to sound threatening, but cringed as his voice  _ cracked.  _ He was physically shaking now, as the full weight of Mayura’s threat sunk in.

“I’ll be in touch.” She shook her head in frustration, and jumped towards Adrien’s window. She landed on the edge, and looked back at him cooly, “Consider my offer… and what will happen if you continue this  _ childish _ behavior.”

**********

Darkness had completely engulfed the entire countryside when Gabriel finally returned to his parents’ home.

Further attempts at making a champion had been just as unsuccessful as earlier. As hard as Gabriel tried, he was unable to focus the necessary  _ positive _ emotions, and ended up making nearly a dozen akuma throughout the day. It reached the point that even  _ Nooroo  _ suggested that they might want to take a break, despite his enthusiasm

The designer entered the house stealthily, opening the sliding backdoor as slowly as he could manage. Fortunately, Gabriel had paid good money to ensure that David and Edith Agreste were well taken care of, and the door didn’t squeak or make any sort of other noise at  _ all. _ Gabriel slipped through the opening, and into the living room. Gabriel gently pushed the curious Nooroo back into his coat pocket. He hadn’t planned on staying out for this long, and quietly hoped that his father wasn’t awake-

“Gabriel?”  _ Of course. _

“Father.” Gabriel said formally, straightening his posture as he turned to the living room couch, where David Agreste was rubbing his eyes as he squinted at his son.

“What the  _ hell _ are you doing up at this hour?” David demanded, sitting upright. His wife, Edith, was still fast asleep right next to him.

“What the hell are  _ you _ doing down here when you have a  _ beautiful _ master bedroom?” Gabriel retorted, setting his jaw. He wasn’t about to let his father treat him like a child, not anymore. Not when Gabriel was the man who  _ owned _ this place.

Gabriel had seen his parents on maybe a half-dozen occasions since the day he moved out. The day he moved out was also the day of his eighteenth birthday, or rather the first day he was legally allowed to go out on his own. Their interactions since then had been both limited and ultimately meaningless; they were little more than brief exchanges of trivial information, or obligatory gatherings that Emilie had insisted on.

Were it not for Emilie, Gabriel wouldn’t have invited them to his wedding, or even told them he was getting married in the first place. He bought this house for them, of course, but that didn’t mean he wanted to  _ see _ them. This trip was the first time he’d spent more than a few  _ hours _ in their presence, and it was clear that they were completely  _ bewildered _ by it.

“Your mother was worried about you.” Gabriel’s father said, narrowing his eyes, “And besides, we don’t like going up the stairs unless we  _ have _ to.”

But if Gabriel was really going to better himself, and get past his love for Emilie, he had to accept that making amends here would be a part of the process. He’d been tempted to walk out and buy his own country home on more than one occasion, but Nooroo had managed to talk him down every time. According to Nooroo, he either needed to stay here with his parents, or return to Paris and see Adrien.

And as much as Gabriel wanted to see his son, he wasn’t ready to return to Emilie’s resting place just yet.

“David…” Edith muttered, clearly just waking up, “Is that Gabe?”

“I’m here, mother.” Gabriel said with a sigh.

Edith Agreste had always been a frail woman, constantly getting sick or injuring herself around the house. She was currently fighting off a cold, and didn’t seem entirely  _ lucid _ most of the time. At just  _ barely _ over five feet tall, she was easy to miss as well. However, as frail or senile as she might be now, Gabriel would  _ never _ forget the strict and firey woman that raised him. He had  _ despised _ her for many years, almost as much as his father. 

“Well, where were you all day?” Edith demanded, “I saw you go off into the woods on your own nearly ten  _ hours _ ago, and that was after you slept in until noon. Have you grown into some kind of hoodlum?” 

Gabriel could feel a slight vibration in his pocket, and briefly wondered what it could be until he realized that Nooroo was  _ laughing _ at the image of famous designer Gabriel Agreste acting like a “hoodlum.” Gabriel scowled, poking the pocket to stop him, and then taking a deep breath before answering his mother.

“How about you let  _ me _ handle where I’ve been.” Gabriel said with the fakest smile he’d ever conjured, “So  _ you _ can handle your own affairs. I am  _ not _ a boy anymore-”

Things had been  _ cordial _ for the first month Gabriel spent here. Both Gabriel and his parents had been hopeful when they met, and desperate to connect in a way they hadn’t when Gabriel was younger. But as time went on, fights like this one became more and more common, as both parties were reminded of the reasons Gabriel had left in the first place.

“But you’re still our  _ son.” _ David said, interrupting him.

“Only by  _ blood, _ father.” Gabriel agreed begrudgingly.

“...And by  _ attitude.” _ Edith added crankily, shaking her head in annoyance. She fixed Gabriel with a deeply  _ suspicious _ look, “If all you’re going to do here is constantly give us  _ lip, _ then why even bother with us,  _ huh?” _ She growled, as though suddenly remembering something, “Why not just go back to sending us your  _ company _ Christmas card every other year? Who cares if we might want to see our daughter-in-law or grandson-”

“Adrien will be visiting next weekend.” Gabriel interrupted, taking care to ignore the bit about Emilie, “As I informed you  _ yesterday.” _

“Damn you  _ boy!” _ David snapped, “You know that your mother doesn’t remember things like she used to!”

“If you truly don’t want me here, then I don’t have to stay.” Gabriel said angrily, and felt Nooroo moving around in his pocket, “I bought you a beautiful country home, maybe I should just get one of my own-”

“Oh  _ fuck off.” _ Edith rolled her eyes, “Sometimes I wonder if the only reason you had this place built was to hold it over our heads…”

“You haven’t changed a bit.” David said, nodding in agreement with his wife. “You’re still the same _whiny_ _teenager_ that left us all those years ago.”

Outraged by the accusation, Gabriel opened his mouth the challenge it.  _ Who  _ do these people think there are? In the years since he’d left them behind, Gabriel Agreste had built an unrivalled fashion empire in the big city. He’d made it through college on nothing but his own steam, and found a way to balance it all with the girl of his dreams. And when she became pregnant, they’d found a way  _ together _ to keep the child, and  _ still _ somehow expand the company to unprecedented levels.

But as he stood there, jaw hanging open, Gabriel was reminded that his life hadn’t all been rainbows and sunshine…

The image of Hawkmoth…. no, of  _ himself, _ slamming his fist in rage after losing to two teenagers in tight spandex took over his mind. Outburst after outburst… most of them just anger about failing to be a successful  _ supervillain. _ He had literally taken small  _ children _ throwing tantrums, and turned them into gigantic villains for his own sake.

_ “Have you grown into some kind of hoodlum?” _ His mother had asked him, not even a minute ago.

And Gabriel Agreste was thoroughly disarmed as he realized that his mother’s delirious accusation really wasn’t that far from the truth...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading as always!


	5. Concern

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plagg tries to put his chosen back together...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Most of the Season 3 events are not canon to this story. In this fic, Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee are the only backup heroes, and Queen Bee hasn't been suspended, either.
> 
> However, the team is well-acquainted with Mayura.

Mayura detransformed as she landed on the floor of her bedroom, on the other side of the mansion from where Adrien slept. Dusuu, the Peacock kwami, materialized next to her, blinking in and out of existence as the damaged Peacock Miraculous affected her.

Nathalie’s room was fairly large, and even had its own bathroom despite it not being the master. It was meant to serve as her own miniature apartment of sorts, so she could rush to Mr. Agreste’s side at  _ any _ time. It had made the transition from assistant to acting CEO of the  _ Gabriel _ brand that much easier, as she lived in the building from which operations were conducted. While some might find the scenario odd, Nathalie was well past worrying about such things. It wasn’t like Nathalie had anything or anyone else to worry about besides this anyways.

But the details of her living situation were far from the front of Nathalie’s mind as she began to pace the room in frustration. 

_ “Brilliant.” _ Nathalie said sarcastically, and to nobody in particular. 

“What’s brilliant?” Dusuu asked, fluttering near her master curiously, but Nathalie decided to ignore her for the time being.

Mayura’s attempt to seduce Chat Noir to her side had been a  _ disaster, _ to say the least. He had outright  _ refused _ her offer, and only barely seemed to consider it in the first place. What should’ve been a  _ pivotal _ moment, Mayura showing him the picture of Emilie Ageste, failed when Chat Noir simply refused to believe it.

And if that wasn’t enough, the boy had attacked her partway through the conversation, and quickly reminded her that she wasn’t a match for the Ladybug or Black Cat Miraculous, at least not with this broken pin she had to use. He had outright  _ threatened _ to kill her with Cataclysm in the end, and Nathalie honestly had no idea if he would’ve really done it, despite having known Adrien for his entire life. And it was that uncertainty that had spooked Mayura into dropping a threat against Marinette before leaving, a bargaining chip she should have  _ definitely _ waited to use.

Mayura had tipped her hand too early, and quite possibly spooked her prey a lot more than she needed to. Now, Nathalie would be lucky if Adrien didn’t immediately contact Ladybug and show her the photograph of his mother. Ladybug might in turn be convinced to recruit more heroes for her cause, and guard Marinette around the clock.

Nathalie sat down on the side of her bed, desperately trying to think of  _ something _ that had gone over well in their exchange. There had to be  _ something _ that brought Nathalie closer to resurrecting the woman she loved...

Despite his initial denial, Adrien was  _ definitely _ going to be on edge about seeing an image of his mother. Nathalie hadn’t intended to leave the photograph behind, but it wasn’t like it leaked anything particularly  _ dangerous _ to her. She had taken the shot in such a way that only the plant life around Emilie’s capsule was visible. Adrien would most likely not be able to figure out that the location was actually  _ inside, _ and in his own house no less.

Nathalie allowed herself one small smile as she realized that Adrien still didn’t know about the surveillance cameras in his room. It was one card that she was yet to put on the table, and could potentially make the difference if push came to shove. She couldn’t hear what the kwami,  _ Plagg, _ had to say, but chances were that she would see any plan of Chat Noir’s coming from a mile away. Not that Chat Noir was famed for making plans, but still... 

She stood back up, burying all emotions she might have felt about the events that had just unfolded. After all, there was no sense in dwelling on mistakes already made. Regardless of how poorly the operation had unfolded, however, Nathalie needed to execute the next part of her plan. Adrien could not be allowed to deduce Mayura’s true identity. She needed to dispel that suspicion before it even crossed his mind.

**********

“Adrien, buddy, you have to  _ breathe.” _ Plagg soothed, but his chosen continued to pace the bedroom anxiously, still staring at his window like he expected Mayura to leap back inside at any moment.

Even though he’d been sucked into the ring when Chat Noir transformed, Plagg was still able to see  _ everything _ that transpired after that. Mayura had shown Adrien a photograph of his  _ mother, _ who was apparently still alive, much to Plagg’s surprise. Adrien didn’t talk about his mother very much at  _ all, _ simply saying that she had “disappeared” whenever the topic came up. This had led Plagg to believe with near certainty that she was gone for good, until Mayura showed off the image suggesting otherwise. It wasn’t  _ proof, _ as Hawkmoth certainly had the power to mislead, but it was the closest thing to evidence Adrien could’ve hoped for.

But as  _ jarring _ as that photograph was, Adrien’s current state was just as much the result of the last thing Mayura had said to him; the supervillain had threatened to harm  _ Marinette _ if Adrien didn’t comply with her currently unstated demands. And it didn’t take a super genius to guess that Hawkmoth and Mayura’s demands were for Adrien’s help in getting their hands on both the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. 

“You warned me…” Adrien said shakily, seemingly unaware that Plagg had even spoken, “You and Kagami both, you  _ warned _ be that something like this might happen-”

“Yeah yeah, let’s get the “I told you so” out of the way now-”

“You warned me, and I didn’t  _ listen!” _ Adrien snapped, picking up his alarm clock and throwing it across the room. The expensive instrument  _ shattered, _ sending pieces of metal flying everywhere, but Adrien didn’t seem to notice.

_ “Adrien!” _ Plagg called, flying right into the boy’s face to grab his attention, “You need to get a grip,  _ now!’ _

This panic Adrien was experiencing… it was  _ understandable, _ but neither Adrien nor  _ Marinette _ could afford it right now. Right now, Adrien needed to channel his inner Chat Noir. He needed to stay  _ strong, _ in spite of the threat he was facing. Whether he liked it or not,  _ now _ was the time to tell Ladybug about what had happened. Adrien didn’t know it, but if Hawkmoth or Mayura attacked Marinette, they would be taking  _ Ladybug _ off the table as well. 

“What am I supposed to do?” Adrien demanded, fixing Plagg with a vicious glare, “There’s  _ nothing _ I can do to keep Marinette safe, and Hawkmoth has my  _ mother _ in his clutches!” He shook Mayura’s photograph in Plagg’s face aggressively, before resuming his frantic pacing.

“We don’t _know_ what the deal is with your mother.” Plagg countered, “For all we know, this is just some sadistic trick to throw you off balance-”

_ “Mission accomplished!” _

“-but you have to get it under control!” Plagg finished angrily, “Whether your mother is in Hawkmoth’s clutches or not, freaking out like this isn’t going to do  _ anybody _ any good.  _ Especially  _ not Marinette!”

That made Adrien stop for a moment. Regardless of his panic, Adrien cared about Marinette a lot, and he would do  _ whatever _ it took to keep her safe. Plagg realized that was part of the problem, really, since it could lead to Adrien handing over his ring, but whatever gave Adrien focus, Plagg was going to use it. 

“But there’s still nothing I can do!” Adrien said desperately, “Marinette-”

“-is okay at the moment.” Plagg corrected whatever Adrien was about to say, “Listen, you have  _ allies, _ Adrien. You have Ladybug, Alya, Nino, Chloe, and Kagami… if you just  _ tell _ them what’s going on, they can  _ help!” _

“Maybe Kagami and the others…” Adrien said grimly, “But I can’t let Ladybug know that Mayura is onto me. You know that.”

“Oh, you have gotta be  _ shitting  _ me!” Plagg yelled, gawking at his chosen, “Adrien, your girlfriend’s  _ life _ is at stake! Who cares what Ladybug thinks of your life choices? We  _ have _ to all be on the same page here, or Mayura is going to win an  _ easy _ victory over a bunch of angsty teens that are too prideful to even  _ talk _ to each other!”

Adrien had a legitimate reason to be skeptical of Ladybug and  _ especially _ Master Fu, as far as Plagg was concerned. He hadn’t  _ always _ seen it that way, but after the business with the Reaper a few months ago… Plagg had seen for himself just how much their actions were  _ hurting _ Adrien. Ladybug had literally yelled at Chat Noir for being unreliable, and then taken off her earrings when he needed her most.

But Ladybug’s mistakes  _ paled _ in comparison to the way that Master Fu had been treating Adrien all this time. Wielders of the Black Cat Miraculous often ended up finding their own way, and teaching themselves how to fight properly, but Master Fu had taken that tradition to a whole new  _ level. _ Adrien and Master Fu had met only a handful of times at this point, and  _ only _ when the master felt like it. Adrien  _ still _ didn’t know where he could find Fu, and was still  _ technically _ banned from knowing the identities of the superheroes that Ladybug had recruited.

Plagg knew Master Fu well enough to know that the master did care about Adrien, even if he rarely (never) showed it. But it had also become clear to Plagg that Master Fu wasn’t even  _ slightly _ worried how this all might look to Chat Noir. He apparently didn’t care if Adrien thought he was playing favorites.

But regardless of any past wrongdoing,  _ now _ was not the time. Adrien  _ needed _ to look past all of that. It didn’t matter how many secrets Fu kept from Adrien, or how Ladybug had let him down. Right now, keeping  _ Marinette _ safe was what mattered.

“Adrien?” Before the boy could respond, Plagg was forced to dash away as the bedroom door opened, and a concerned-looking Nathalie entered.

_ “Nathalie!”  _ Adrien jumped, “What’s uh, what’s up?” He looked completely blindsided, sadly being forced to portray an unconcerned teenager when his true emotional state was a total  _ storm _ underneath that.

“I heard some commotion.” Nathalie said, looking around the room suspiciously, and especially at the clearly damaged bathroom door, “Moreover, our security system was  _ hacked _ only a few minutes ago, leaving me quite concerned for your well-being.” Nathalie squinted at the boy, 

“So I’d greatly appreciate if you would kindly tell  _ me _ what’s “up.” If it’s not too much trouble, of course…” Plagg wanted to  _ slap _ her for putting pressure on Adrien at such a rough moment.

She was always just doing her job, but Plagg had  _ never _ liked Nathalie. She always seemed to be thinking about a little more than she was letting on, and would rarely admit it. There was a certain aura about her; the woman was  _ always _ drawing conclusions about the people around her, even when she wouldn’t actively express it. It was a quality that she shared with Adrien’s father, really. Except that Gabriel Agreste at least did the courtesy of actually  _ saying _ what he really thought, instead of just leaving one to wonder.

“I…  _ tripped.”  _ Adrien said, clearly uncertain how to handle the interrogation, “I was playing with the dancing game Father got me, and I stumbled right into the bathroom door.”

Plagg tried not to  _ scream.  _ It was probably the flimsiest excuse that Adrien Agreste had ever uttered. The bathroom door was pretty damn far from his dancing game, meaning that there was  _ no way _ he had just tripped into it from there. Not only that, but Adrien was currently sitting on his bed,  _ far _ from the game, and he was clearly uninjured as well. Nathalie was almost  _ certainly _ perceptive enough to notice these contriavances.

“I see.” Nathalie said with an arched eyebrow, “And I take it nothing  _ suspicious _ has happened up here? Given the breach, I’m considering calling your bodyguard-’

“Don’t bother the Gorilla.” Adrien interrupted, “It was  _ nothing.” _

“Our security system getting hacked isn’t  _ nothing.” _ Nathalie retorted, taking another look around the room. She eventually shook her head, “Are you at all injured from your…  _ fall?” _

“I’m fine.” Adrien said stiffly, “The door looks a bit rough though…”   
  


“I’ll see to it that it gets fixed.” Nathalie nodded in agreement, “It must have been already damaged if just one person hitting it caused it to break in such a fashion.”

Plagg had to resist rolling his eyes. Nathalie  _ clearly _ knew that Adrien was lying to her, and was actively choosing to ignore it. There was a certain  _ condescending _ air about the assistant, and given what Adrien had just experienced… it was upsetting, to say the least.

“Must have been.” Adrien agreed.

“Please do your best not to make disturbances like this.” Nathalie said sternly, “I was in the middle of an important meeting when I heard the crash upstairs… a meeting that I need to get back to, come to think of it.”

Silence came over the room, as Plagg and Adrien waited for Nathalie’s footsteps to fade into the distance. Her intrusion had certainly been a distraction from their argument, and an unwelcome one at that, as Plagg’s chosen seemed to be in an even  _ worse _ mood than before. Adrien quickly collapsed onto his bed, tears brewing in his eyes. Plagg hesitated, unsure of whether he should console the boy or reignite their argument.

After all, Adrien still  _ needed _ to tell Ladybug about what had happened.

“She hacked the security system…” Adrien finally said, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, “That means that Hawkmoth and Mayura are computer savvy… just  _ great.” _

“I’ll admit I know a bit more about cheese than I do about hacking.” Plagg chuckled nervously, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

“It’s  _ bad news.” _ Adrien didn’t even look at him, “Chances are she could do it again if she had to.”

In other words, there was  _ nothing _ preventing Mayura from sneaking into his bedroom again. Unlike what Adrien had thought for the last three months, it turned out that the Agreste mansion really  _ wasn’t _ a safe place for Chat Noir. And now that Adrien had outright  _ refused _ to join her, there was a very  _ real  _ chance that she might just steal his Miraculous.

“We have to find a way to keep the Miraculous safe.” Plagg agreed.

“And Marinette.” Adrien said quietly, and was clearly  _ agonizing _ over something. Probably whether or not he should tell Ladybug about all of this.

As Plagg had elegantly put moments ago by screaming at him, Adrien would be  _ foolish _ not to at least tell Ladybug  _ some _ of what had happened. His partner needed to be aware that Hawkmoth and Mayura were still out there, and hadn’t quit like many had begun to speculate. Ladybug needed to know that Chat Noir’s secret identity was compromised, if the two of them were going to find a way to come out on top.

“You really think I should tell her?” Adrien asked hesitantly.

_ “Definitely.” _ Plagg said without missing a beat, “Now is not the time to let an old grudge get in the way of what’s right…”

“But what if she tells Master Fu?” Adrien said quietly, “They might try to take Chat Noir away from me. They might try to take  _ you.” _

“Isn’t Marinette’s safety more important?” Plagg challenged, floating in the boy’s face again, “I don’t think that’s going to happen.  _ Especially _ if you ask Ladybug to keep it between the two of you. But even if she did try and snatch it… you  _ have _ to take that risk. Not only for your girlfriend’s sake, but for  _ everyone  _ you know! Think about what would happen in Mayura got your ring, and Ladybug still didn’t know about it.”

  
“I  _ know _ you’re right.” Adrien said, and then let out a defeated  _ sigh, _ “But that still doesn’t make it any easier…”

“Being a hero is  _ never _ easy.” Plagg nodded in agreement, “That’s why not everybody does it.”

“Right...” Adrien said, “I… I guess I’ll tell her soon then.”

And as Adrien agreed to do the right thing, Plagg felt a surge of  _ pride. _ While he certainly had his fair share of issues to work through, Plagg never  _ once _ doubted that his chosen’s heart was good. The boy  _ loved _ being Chat Noir, and he  _ really _ didn’t want to risk losing it, but he was putting his responsibilities first, as difficult as that might be. He loved his mother too, but he had turned down Mayura’s offer.

“Plagg?” Adrien said after a long pause, settling down in his bed.

“Yes Adrien?”

“Just…” He trailed off uncertainly, “Thank you. For  _ everything…” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another shorter chapter, so I suppose I'm settling into approximately this length again. Hope to have the next chapter up soon, and thanks for reading!


	6. Loyalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Plagg struggle to maintain their fragile relationship, while Marinette tries to learn what's bothering her boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the REALLY long wait on this chapter. I've been caught up in my personal life for quite a while now, and there's a real chance that my writing pace won't get much faster in the coming weeks. Thanks to everybody for being so patient!

“I  _ still _ can’t believe you convinced me to not check in on Marinette this weekend.” Adrien lamented, and Plagg rolled his eyes.

“There’s no  _ point.” _ Plagg said, “You can’t guard her around the clock, and Mayura clearly already knew that the two of you were an item before she even set foot in this room… if Hawkmoth wanted to kidnap Marinette, he’d have already done it.”

_ There are also things that would make Tikki kill me if you saw. _ Plagg thought to himself.

Considering the fact that a literal supervillain had paid him a visit last night, Adrien was doing remarkably well. He had of course been panicking about Marinette’s safety, but he had done a fine job keeping a level head since his earlier outburst. Instead of lashing out, like Plagg had initially feared, the boy had instead retreated inwards. Adrien had spent what seemed like  _ hours _ in deep thought, occasionally stopping to stare at the photograph of his mother that Mayura had left behind.

“Still…” Adrien shook his head as he finished packing his school bag, “She’s in danger… and it’s  _ definitely _ my fault. There must be something I can do.”

“Bring it up with Ladybug.” Plagg said, “She’s bound to-”

“What do you mean “bring it up” with Ladybug? _ ” _ Adrien’s eyes narrowed, as he fixed Plagg with an icy glare, “Last I checked, she was supposed to be my  _ partner, _ not my boss.”

Plagg took a deep, calming breath to control his own anger. Lashing out as his chosen was only going to make the situation worse, after all. Adrien’s anger must’ve been another sign of the boy’s growing stress, for was rarely this confrontational about his relationship with Ladybug. In truth, Adrien wasn’t generally confrontational about  _ anything, _ but he seemed to be getting more and more impatient as time went on.

“You  _ know _ I didn’t mean it like that.” Plagg said, raising his paws diplomatically, “And I wasn’t  _ only _ talking about Ladybug. Your other allies could come in handy too… especially since Mayura might target them as well.”

“She  _ better  _ not.” Adrien said angrily.

“Just make sure you don’t act like a weirdo today.” Plagg snapped, “Marinette is  _ sure _ to notice if you’re more clingy than usual-”

“More clingy than  _ usual?” _ Adrien’s eyes narrowed, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that your puppy eyes are bad enough when you  _ aren’t _ worried.” Plagg taunted, “And I’m not sure I’d be able to stop myself from leaving you a little  _ present _ if I don’t like what I see.”

“If I find another hairball in my bag, you’re sleeping outside for a week.” Adrien said in annoyance, but it was clear that his mood was brightening.

**********

The rest of Marinette’s weekend went by without major incident.

Her parents continued to stress over letting Marinette go with Adrien to visit his father. Sabine in particular voiced concern about the matter more than once, wondering aloud if letting Marinette go really was the right thing for them to do. Tom, while less vocal, clearly had the same concerns as well, but openly admitted that he was yet to think of a good reason to say no. After all, Marinette and Adrien had both proven that they were trustworthy, if a bit unreliable at times.

“You’re going to call us at  _ least _ twice every day.” Sabine had insisted out of the blue, disrupting the family dinner on Sunday and sparking a brief spat between mother and daughter.

But as much as the slight overprotectiveness got on Marinette’s nerves, she privately recognized that they had only the best intentions. They clearly  _ wanted _ Marinette to be happy, and weren’t going to get in the way of that without just cause. They were just  _ worried, _ since their daughter had never left Paris on her own before. After all, their concerns paled in comparison to the way Tikki and Wayzz continued to get on her case throughout the weekend. Tikki, to her credit, eventually resigned to the fact that there was nothing she could do, but Wayzz  _ never _ missed an opportunity to bring the matter up, leaving Marinette’s bedroom in a constant state of turmoil.

“Hey Tikki?” Marinette had paused work on a new scarf to speak to her kwami, “Do you think turquoise or navy blue would work better for this section?”

“I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to figure that out…” Wayzz answered before Tikki could even look at the choices, “While you’re  _ shirking _ your duties to spend time with that  _ mate  _ of yours!” 

So when Monday morning finally came around, Marinette found herself more than a little bit relieved to be getting out of the house. As…  _ delicate _ as the situation at school might be, she at least wasn’t going to be dealing with a flying turtle screaming in her ear every couple of hours. The life of a superhero truly was an odd one.

“Marinette!” She wasn’t even inside the building, when Adrien’s voice caught her attention.

The boy rushed forwards, wrapping his girlfriend in a tight embrace,  _ fully _ catching her off guard and causing her to nearly drop her handbag. They’d been dating for months, but the close contact was still enough to get her heart racing. Marinette was about to tease him for surprising her like that, when she noticed was a distinct  _ panic _ in his eyes. 

It wasn’t the kind of expression she was used to seeing on her boyfriend, and it immediately awakened the  _ superheroine _ inside her.

“Adrien?” Marinette questioned, gently separating from him, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just…” Adrien said, sounding relieved, “I’m glad to see you. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” He took a deep breath, and forced a winning smile.

“If you count Saturday night as a  _ while.” _ Marinette frowned, squinting as his face.

“Well, maybe you just have that effect on me.” He teased, obviously trying to lighten the mood a bit. Marinette hated the way that the teasing still managed to redden her cheeks.

She hadn’t gotten to see much of it on Saturday night, considering the way Adrien was a bit timid around her father, but Marinette had been surprised to learn throughout the course of their relationship that Adrien really was a total  _ flirt. _ He wasn’t as  _ quite _ direct with it as Chat Noir used to be with Ladybug (does it get more direct?), but it was definitely a lot more than Marinette had expected going into all of this.

But even considering that… it wasn’t like him to just jump out of the shadows and hug her on a Monday morning. Especially since he hadn’t seemed to be joking until  _ after _ Marinette called him out his strange behavior...

“Seriously,” Marinette managed to say, “Everything’s okay?”

“Totally fine.” Adrien nodded, and the two fell into an awkward silence, “Did you get your history presentation flashcards done?”

“We’re not even partners on that.” Marinette scowled, both at his  _ obvious _ subject change, and at the reminder that she needed to meet up with  _ Chloe _ this morning to make sure that the blonde had done her part.

“-A fact that brings me regular pain.” He teased.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Adrien took her hand with a soft smile. It was an expression Marinette was quick to return, even though she was far from convinced that things were “totally fine.” Together, the two of them entered the school building, and walked towards their first period, neither seeing any need to ruin what Marinette’s boyfriend had just turned into a cute moment. She decided that instead of pushing the matter further, she would just pay  _ extra _ attention to him today, and see if she could piece together what was bothering him.

Well, after she paid a visit to one of her least favorite people...

**********

“You have  _ got _ to be kidding me.” Chloe’s eyes narrowed.

The blonde girl paced back and forth anxiously, regarding her supposed “best friend” with as displeased of an expression as she could muster. Sabrina, for her part, at least had the decency to look a  _ little _ bit ashamed of herself, but that didn’t change the fact that they were still stuck in this situation, and it was all her fault. Seriously, Chloe had entrusted Sabrina with one  _ simple _ task, and this was how she repaid her?   
  


“I mean… there’s probably enough time before fifth period to scrape  _ something _ up.” Sabrina said uncomfortably, and Chloe  _ immediately _ turned on her.

“Time for  _ me _ to scrape something up!?” Chloe said, flabbergasted at the insinuation.

As far as Chloe was concerned, this was  _ all _ Sabrina’s responsibility. This history project was due on Friday, and the presentation notes were due  _ today! _ Chloe hadn’t even  _ forced _ Sabrina into it this time; they had made a deal. Sabrina would get to go on Chloe’s next shopping spree if she did the project for her. That way, she could keep that  _ ridiculous _ Marinette Dupain-Cheng out of her hair, and Sabrina might  _ finally _ get something worth wearing. It was a win for all involved parties, and Chloe couldn’t  _ believe  _ she was getting betrayed like this.

“Well, it is  _ your _ project.” Sabrina said quietly, not looking her friend in the eyes.

“You  _ listen _ here-” Chloe was about to let her have it, when she felt a hand on her shoulder, quickly grabbing her attention.

“Hey Chloe.” And who else would it be but Marinette Dupain-Cheng herself? And of course, _ Adrien _ was actually  _ with _ her. The poor boy  _ still _ hadn’t figured out that Marinette was nothing but trouble for him. He had actually been  _ dating _ her for the last couple of months, if you can believe it. Chloe had made no secret of her disapproval, either, but Adrien hadn’t reacted well the last time she brought it up. 

Marinette nodded at Sabrina as well, “What’s up Sabrina?”

“What’s  _ up?” _ Chloe asked incredulously, “Our project is completely  _ ruined! _ That’s what’s up!”

“You mean…” Marinette’s eyes widened, “You didn’t do your part!?”

“It was  _ Sabrina’s _ job.” Chloe said, crossing her arms and looking away with a  _ huff. _ “If you have any problems, you should speak to  _ her _ about it.”

_ “No.” _ Marinette said, and a  _ fire _ seemed to light behind her eyes as she fixed Chloe with a face of pure  _ contempt, _ “It wasn’t  _ Sabrina’s job. _ This was  _ your _ job, Chloe! I have my part done, Adrien did his part, and I’m  _ sure _ Sabrina did her part with Kim over the weekend. The  _ only _ person that hasn’t done their job is  _ you. _ And if we don’t scrape something together by fifth period, then we’re losing fifteen percent of the  _ entire  _ project! What the hell is your problem!?”

At this point, Marinette was physically  _ shaking, _ and actually had the audacity to step towards Chloe like she might  _ hit _ her. And if it wasn’t for Adrien calmly stepping between them, and holding Marinette back, there was a very real chance that the raven-haired girl might’ve seriously lashed out.

“My problem…” Chloe pretended to consider it, “I’ve got a  _ lot _ of problems. I might start with the utterly  _ ridiculous _ people around me-”

_ “Chloe.” _ Adrien interrupted, “You’re not helping.”

“Well, maybe being  _ helpful _ is overrated.” Chloe turned away, folding her arms for good measure.

That made for Sabrina, Marinette, and Adrien  _ all _ looking at her with similar expressions of distress. And as much as Chloe made a point of not giving a flying  _ fuck _ what anybody thought of her, it was still uncomfortable. Namely because two of the three were some of the  _ only _ people whose opinions she even slightly valued. Just throw in Ladybug, and perhaps her mother, and that would make pretty much all of them.

It hurt even more to realize that they were all… kind of  _ right? _ Marinette was insolent, and Chloe really did hate her, but they were still partners on this project. Regardless of what Chloe wanted Sabrina to do, it was still ultimately her own responsibility. And it was because of Chloe not getting it done that they were going to lose a pretty significant chunk of their history grade, unless they  _ really _ got moving.

It wasn’t  _ that  _ long ago that Ladybug had pulled her aside. It was the day that Mayor Bourgeois himself had been akumatized, as a result of Chloe’s actions. Ladybug had forced Chloe to admit then that the problems in her life weren’t  _ all _ the results of other people...

“Did you  _ actually _ agree to do it for her?” Marinette demanded, looking at Sabrina.

“Not…  _ really?” _ Sabrina seemed to question it, looking nervously between Marinette and Adrien, and then back at Chloe, “She texted,  _ telling _ me to do it, and I guess I didn’t say no-”

“You don’t have to say  _ no.” _ Marinette’s eyes narrowed, “It’s not  _ your project. _ This is mine and Chloe’s!” There was an awkward pause, when Marinette finally went back to glaring at Chloe.

“Come on.” Marinette said, actually daring to  _ grab _ Chloe’s wrist and start walking towards the library, “We’ve got work to do…”

**********

“Crazy day?” Adrien broke the silence, and clearly caught Sabrina off guard.

“O-Oh, yes it is.” Sabrina agreed, pumping her head up and down to nod far more than was strictly necessary, “Between everything with Chloe, and the semester ending, things are really getting out of control I’d say…” The red haired girl stared off into space, and there was a certain  _ worry _ in her eyes that left Adrien feeling sympathetic.

Sabrina was somebody that Adrien seldom spoke to. She was always following Chloe around, and more often than not doing schoolwork on her behalf, for only minimal compensation. The girl was dedicated, Adrien had to admit. Unfortunately, he was yet to decide whether or not that dedication was admirable… or just  _ pathetic. _ Regardless of whether or not Sabrina  _ should _ be doing these things for Chloe, she tackled every problem with a clear commitment to making Chloe’s life just a little bit easier.

Which made it all the more surprising that she hadn’t done the history presentation...

“Chloe really  _ should _ do her own work.” Adrien casually said, “It’s probably for the best that you didn’t just do it yourself.”

“You think?” The redhead blinked, staring at Adrien like he’d just grown a second head.

_ “Definitely.” _ Adrien nodded, and allowed himself a smile, “You know, it wasn’t  _ that _ long ago that Chloe had me doing all of her schoolwork everyday…” The boy shook his head at the memory, “Back when I was homeschooled, she would come over to my house to “study together,” and I think you know what she meant by that.”

“Do I  _ ever.” _ Sabrina said, and Adrien could detect a hint of  _ bitterness _ in her voice.

“So you know what happened?” Adrien waited for Sabrina to shake her head before continuing, “It started getting out of hand; Chloe wasn’t doing  _ any _ of her own work, and my father somehow learned that his own son was the one responsible.”

“He put a stop to it?” Sabrina asked, arching a curious eyebrow.

“In a manner of speaking.” Adrien said, and felt his heart sink as he remembered the one who  _ really _ put an end to Adrien doing Chloe’s homework, “He had wanted to deal with it himself… but my mother  _ insisted _ that I be the one to stand up for myself, and tell her  _ no.” _ Adrien looked away, concealing the  _ hurt _ growing on his face as he thought about his absent parent, “So yeah… I told Chloe to take care of her own work for a change, and she eventually gave up asking.”

While bringing up his mother was never  _ easy, _ last night’s events made the pain exponentially more potent. Adrien had come to accept in his heart some time ago that he wasn’t going to see his mother again; it was at least highly unlikely. But what Mayura had done last night… it gave him an uncomfortable mixture of hope and  _ terror. _ His mother might still be alive, but Emilie Agreste was effectively being held hostage by the villain. Mayura was going to try and use both Emilie and Marinette to get to Adrien- no, to get to  _ Chat Noir, _ and convince him to turn on his own partner.

And while Adrien wouldn’t allow Mayura to turn him against his own principles… he’d be lying if he pretended he wasn’t at least  _ slightly _ tempted.

_ “Chloe _ gave up on something she wanted?” Sabrina looked downright  _ stunned _ at the possibility, and the shock in her voice was enough to bring Adrien back down to Earth.

_ “Everybody _ has their limits.” Adrien said, forcing himself to give a reassuring smile, “Chloe will give up making you work for her if you stand up for yourself enough times…” He shook his head sadly, “My mother was right about that… just like most things.” 

Adrien held back a sigh, as he realized that he was wasting time thinking about things he couldn’t change, no matter how much he wanted to. Part of why he’d spoken to Sabrina in the first place was to distract himself from last night’s disaster, and he’d done a  _ fantastic  _ job with that. Thinking about Mayura’s threats was enough to make him wish he’d followed Marinette to the library himself. It had taken a  _ lot _ of arguing from Plagg to convince Adrien that he didn’t need to guard the bakery all night.

He realized that even  _ if _ Mayura and Hawkmoth didn’t physically attack, there was a real chance that Adrien might just lose his mind anyway from all this pressure.

“You really think I should stop doing her work?” Sabrina asked hesitantly, “I mean… I’ve been starting to wonder if that’s really the right thing myself, but I’d be giving up Chloe as a friend-”

“She never gave up on me.” Adrien challenged.

“You’re a supermodel.” Sabrina said with a snort, “And besides… you’ve known her a lot longer than I have.”

_ “Still.” _ Adrien said, “You can’t let her walk all over you like this.”

And as the redhead seemed to ponder that, Adrien decided it would be best to leave her to her own thoughts. After all, taking this advice or ignoring it was Sabrina’s decision to make; badgering her about it wasn’t going to accomplish anything. Besides, Adrien had a lot of other things on his mind at the moment. Matters that were substantially more  _ life and death. _

The safety of everybody he cared about was potentially at risk, after all. And he was going to need some help to keep them all safe.


	7. Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Chloe work out their differences, while Adrien calls up a friend.

“Annnnd, we’re done.” Marinette said, breathing a sigh of relief as she finished scribbling down notes on the last flashcard, flopping backwards in the library chair.

“Took long enough.” Chloe murmured, and Marinette bit her tongue.

As snide as the blonde girl had been, she’d proven that she actually  _ could _ help out when she wanted to. Granted, this had all technically been Chloe’s work to begin with, but Marinette had found herself somewhat impressed by the girl’s work ethic. It was as if Marinette’s angry words earlier had actually struck a chord with her… or maybe Chloe really had been expecting Sabrina to get it done, and actually did care about her grade.

Either way, it wasn’t something Marinette was going to complain about.

“Well, I’m glad we managed to get them done in time.” Marinette said cautiously, eyeing the blonde girl, “Sorry I flipped out earlier… I was just worried about the grade, and-”

_ “Forget it.” _ Chloe held up a hand to silence her, “We got it done. That’s what matters, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Marinette said, and the two girls fell into an awkward silence.

Marinette’s relationship with Chloe was getting more and more…  _ complicated, _ as time went on. The two girls had  _ never _ liked each other, despite knowing each other since they were both seven year-olds. Marinette had always seen Chloe as a bully, and completely self-absorbed. And until last year, Marinette hadn’t been given any reason to question her conclusion,  _ especially _ as Chloe’s attitude led to countless akumatized villains.

But that all changed the day Chloe’s father was akumatized into Malediktator. On that day, Chloe had confided, not in Marinette, but in  _ Ladybug. _ Marinette had learned that the blonde diva she had always detested was actually…  _ insecure? _ She was fully aware that none of her classmates seemed to like her, and yet was in constant denial about it. The moment had thrown Marinette’s entire  _ concept _ of Chloe into question, to the point that she found herself beginning to feel almost sympathetic for the girl. Not the point that it excused the way Chloe treated… well,  _ everybody, _ but it was still a jarring moment.

“Shouldn’t you be making out with Adrien in a janitor’s closet or something?” Chloe interrupted Marinette’s train of thought with a nasty glare.

“I was just leaving.” Marinette rolled her eyes, sticking her history book back into her bag.

And  _ that _ was the latest compilation. Regardless of how much Marinette couldn’t  _ stand _ the blonde’s behavior, Chloe was Adrien’s oldest friend, and she clearly had feelings of some kind for him. Marinette didn’t approve, but Adrien’s choice in friends ultimately wasn’t her concern.  _ Fortunately, _ Adrien didn’t reciprocate her romantic feelings at  _ all, _ something he’d made clear to Marinette even before they’d started dating, but it still raised the girl’s blood pressure more than she cared to admit out loud. At the end of the day, Marinette was forced to concede that Adrien and Chloe’s bond was something she wasn’t going to magically understand one day.

Unlike Marinette’s restraint on the matter, Chloe didn’t  _ hesitate _ to express her disapproval when Marinette and Adrien started dating. She didn’t do it in front of Adrien anymore, at least not  _ openly, _ since the boy had made it clear he wasn’t going to pick Chloe if she forced him to choose between them. Marinette allowed herself a small smile as she remembered that exchange, the second day after Adrien had first asked her out. Chloe had been about to call Marinette an unthinkably bad name, but Adrien had interrupted her before she could even finish.

_ “Chloe.”  _ Adrien had said, eyes narrowing in a rare display of hostility,  _ “This is our decision, not yours. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” _

Chloe hadn’t taken it well at first, but Adrien made it clear that he wasn’t joking. It had been  _ very _ uncomfortable to witness, and Adrien apologized for it later, but Marinette found herself feeling more  _ relieved _ than anything. Marinette had honestly been afraid that Adrien wasn’t going to stick up for her, given the way things had been playing out with Lila.

Marinette and Chloe had both skipped out on their first period classes to finish the flashcards, and a quick glance at the clock confirmed that second period was going to begin in about ten minutes or so. Marinette had to suppress a sigh as she realized she’d skipped out on her English language class, something she’d been struggling in all semester. Her mother had tried to teach her Mandarin when she was younger as well, but that had proven disastrous. She had no idea how her boyfriend knew  _ four  _ languages, when she couldn’t even seem to learn a second one properly.

She was about to exit the library, when Chloe suddenly called out.

“Wait,  _ Marinette...” _ Chloe said, in a rare usage of her first name, immediately catching the raven-haired girl’s attention, “I’m…  _ glad _ you helped me out here.”

“Well, I  _ do _ want to pass History.” Marinette said with a small chuckle, and Chloe’s face was an enigma.

_ “Yeah…”  _ She said, turning away, “That makes sense…”

**********

“I see…” Kagami said thoughtfully, and Adrien could easily imagine her pacing back and forth despite not seeing her through the phone, “That is a bit of an issue…”

“Which bit?” Adrien laughed bitterly, “Is it how Ladybug’s going to learn that I’ve  _ lied _ to her and the Master for months now? Or maybe it’s how Mayura apparently has my missing mother of two  _ years!?” _ He shook his head, before adding quietly, “Or is it the way that I’ve put  _ everybody _ I love in danger with my stupidity…”

He glared out across the school’s courtyard, where the student body continued to vacate the premises. The school day had ended nearly half an hour ago, and Marinette had  _ insisted _ that he didn’t need to walk her home. He was waiting on a private fencing lesson, one that even Kagami wasn’t going to be attending, which prompted him to call her while he sat. After all, she was the only other  _ human _ he could talk to about Chat Noir business. And it went without saying that there was a  _ lot _ of Chat Noir business to talk about.

Adrien found himself wishing more than anything that he hadn’t blown his cover all those months ago. If he hadn’t been so reckless, so  _ stupid, _ then maybe Marinette wouldn’t be in danger like this. For all he knew, Mayura was watching him right now, just waiting for an opportunity to nab somebody he cared about while his guard was down. She could surprise attack at practically any time, and he’d  _ never _ be able to predict it.

_ “Stupidity  _ had nothing to do with it.” Kagami said angrily, almost certainly making sarcastic quotation marks on her end, “If  _ Ladybug _ had backed you up like she was supposed to, instead of just wallowing in self-pity,  _ none _ of this would’ve happened. She’s supposed to be your  _ partner, _ and she let you down!”

He couldn’t deny that he harbored some resentment over that. Leaving him to face the Reaper alone had turned out disastrously, and was the complete result of her taking off her earrings. Ladybug had ultimately admitted that she felt  _ trapped _ by the responsibilities of being the city’s icon; a responsibility that Chat Noir only  _ barely _ shared in. And if she hadn’t done that, there was a very real chance that Adrien Agreste’s identity would still be a secret.

That being said, Adrien couldn’t agree with Kagami’s statement. Ladybug had made a mistake, but blaming her for  _ everything _ was a bit of a stretch.

“But she can’t shoulder  _ all _ of the blame.” Adrien sighed, looking down at his bag where Plagg was almost  _ certainly _ listening in, “I  _ chose _ to go in on my own-”

“You  _ chose _ to do the right thing!” Kagami interrupted, and Adrien flinched. It was rare for her to become this angry after all, “I don’t care what that cheese-fetishizing rodent says; you saved the lives of  _ twelve _ innocent people! You’re a  _ hero, _ Adrien. You sacrificed your own well-being for the sake of others, including my own.”

To hear such  _ trust _ was both comforting and discomforting at the same time. On the one hand, it was  _ fantastic _ to hear somebody so confident in his decision making. But on the other hand, Adrien found himself  _ sincerely _ doubting that he could live up to her idea of his heroics.  _ Especially _ considering the way Mayura had brought his mother into the fold. He wasn’t going to break… not while so many people were counting on him, but Adrien was beginning to fear that me might  _ bend  _ just a bit.

Was this how Ladybug felt? Taking Kagami’s expectations of him, and spreading them across the entire city… it wouldn’t be that far off from how Paris treated Ladybug. And considering how Adrien wasn’t sure he could live up to the hype, the boy found himself empathizing a lot more with her position.

“Do you think I should tell Ladybug the truth?” Adrien asked, “I told Plagg that I would, but I’m not sure if I can-”

“You should tell her.” Kagami said bitterly, “Keeping her out of the loop to spite her previous actions would be childish.”

And of  _ course, _ thinking about being childish brought Adrien right back to thinking about his mother again. The woman that had been absent from his life for two whole years now. Her absence had torn a hole in his life that nothing seemed to be able to patch; it had caused his father to practically  _ abandon _ him. Could Mayura really bring her back so easily? He had to stop thinking about such things. What  _ could _ be done wasn’t what mattered here. They were dealing with what  _ should _ be done.

Kagami and Plagg were right; it was time to tell Ladybug the truth. He was going to need all the help he could get to keep Marinette and the others safe. And honestly? Adrien wasn’t sure what he might do if he kept brooding on it by himself.

“I guess I’ll call her right after this practice then.” Adrien said, sighing as he caught sight of Plagg giving him the evil eye from inside his school bag.

**********

“And here I thought you were getting tired of these meetings…” Ladybug said with a nervous laugh, desperate to lighten the mood a little bit.

The view really was beautiful from up here. The pair had chosen a platform most of the way up the Eiffel Tower, like they always did, and the sight of the city from such distance never failed to impress either of them. Ironically, it was weird to observe the city without the Tower in the background, since they were on it. If only she knew  _ why _ Chat Noir wanted to talk to her… his message on her yoyo had been cryptic, simply saying that they needed to talk as soon as possible, and that it was  _ important. _

It certainly wasn’t like Chat Noir to message her for a meeting out of the blue like this,  _ especially _ ever since their battle with the Reaper three months ago. He’d been growing more and more distant as time went on, and the last time she’d seen him (last Friday), he had suggested making their weekly rendezvous a monthly occurrence.

“Seriously though… are you okay?” Ladybug added when her partner didn’t turn around, or even acknowledge her first statement.

“No.” Chat Noir said, still not looking at her.

“Then what’s going on?” She demanded, scanning the area for any threats out of instinct.

He didn’t appear to be injured in any way, at least not  _ physically. _ There was nothing about his posture that suggested he was in any danger, but he did seem to be a lot more tense than usual. His blond hair, always messy to some degree, looked just  _ sloppy _ now. Like he hadn’t been taking care of it, instead of just looking wild for the fun of it. And considering that she had seen Chat Noir just three  _ days _ ago, and he had been fine then, she found herself deeply concerned for his well-being.

But instead of answering her, he simply turned around, fixing her with a visibly  _ tired _ expression. His mask concealed many of his features, but Ladybug had no difficulty imagining bags under his unnaturally green eyes. And unlike the last time she’s seen him, Chat Noir didn’t seem at all upset with her. If anything, he looked  _ apologetic. _

“I’ve…” He said, but hesitated, “Well, I’ve made a mistake.”

“What kind of mistake?” She frowned suspiciously.

“A bad one.”

“Do you need my help?”

“If you’re willing.”

“Of course I’m willing.” Ladybug said, trying to keep the  _ hurt  _ out of her voice.

Did he really think that they weren’t partners anymore? That she wouldn’t do  _ anything _ she could to help him? They’d known each other for an entire  _ year _ now, and had saved each other from harm countless times. Chat Noir’s question seemed to suggest that he  _ doubted _ her now, or he truly believed that their relationship was too far gone. Ladybug honestly wanted to grab him by the shoulders, and just  _ scream  _ at him.  _ He _ was the one who had weakened their friendship… she’d offered to reveal herself, and he’d  _ denied _ it.

Granted, his anger wasn’t completely without reason, but he was apparently unwilling to put it behind him.

  
“Now, will you  _ please _ tell me what-”

“It’s Mayura.” Chat Noir said bluntly, cutting her off, “She knows my identity.”


	8. Strain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathalie and Gabriel catch up, while Ladybug and Chat Noir do the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: The angst is strong with this chapter. Read at your own risk.

_ “Has Adrien reached a decision?” _ Gabriel asked through the phone, and there was worry evident in his voice,  _ “He told me that he would consider my offer, and I recently claimed to David and Edith that he would be visiting this weekend.”  _ Nathalie couldn’t help but roll her eyes when Gabriel referred to his parents by their first names. They must’ve had a fight.

It was Nathalie’s first time speaking with her boss in nearly a month. The company didn’t need Gabriel’s  _ direct _ management, after all, and Nathalie could only imagine that her voice reminded him of his past sins. Meaning that Gabriel was most likely  _ avoiding _ speaking to her whenever possible. The feeling was somewhat mutual as well, considering Nathalie’s desire to hide her recent  _ activities _ from him. 

Nevertheless, hearing from him produced an odd  _ nostalgia _ in the assistant, as he was one of  _ very _ few people that had ever appreciated Emilie like she did. And despite Nathalie’s initial  _ jealousy _ towards Gabriel when he started seeing the woman she loved, she had developed a certain  _ protectiveness _ regarding him. After all, she could only imagine what would happen if he ever learned about his son’s true nature...

“Adrien intends to visit you.” Nathalie said, and allowed herself a small smile as she remembered Adrien’s most recent demand, “However, he  _ insists _ that you allow his girlfriend to accompany him-”

_ “Girlfriend?”  _ Gabriel demanded, and Nathalie could sense the confusion in his voice.

“He’s been seeing her for some time now.” Nathalie said, “Her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I believe you’ve met her on several occasions-”

_ “Yes, I remember.”  _ Gabriel cut in,  _ “Adrien did mention something about her during our last phone call. She’s a designer, is she not?” _

There was a definite  _ frustration _ in the man’s voice. Gabriel was clearly upset at just how outdated his knowledge base was when it came to Adrien’s life. Nathalie felt a little bit sick to her stomach as she considered just  _ how much _ he didn’t know.  _ Especially _ considering the way she was planning to employ Chat Noir’s services, without telling Gabriel.

“That’s right.” Nathalie said, nodding despite the lack of visual contact, “Do you object to her accompanying him?”

_ “I suppose not.” _ Gabriel said gruffly,  _ “I’d like to see how he conducts himself with her, after all. I never got the opportunity to set specific ground rules.” _

Nathalie had to suppress a groan at the man’s ignorance.  _ Surely _ he realized that Adrien’s behavior with Marinette would be different while his father was present? Not only that, but setting any “ground rules” would be virtually impossible while Gabriel remained down south. Either way, Nathalie was almost relieved to hear such classic  _ Gabriel _ behavior. He must be feeling his old self to some degree if he was back to managing Adrien’s every move, after all.

“Very well.” Nathalie said, “I’ll make sure to finalize itinerary within the next few days, and email you the exact details.”

_ “Excellent.” _ Gabriel said,  _ “Some familiar company will do me well.” _

“Of course.” Nathalie agreed robotically, and considered her next words carefully, “Now, if I may offer my own advice?”

_ “Like you’ve ever had an issue with that before.”  _ Gabriel said with dry sarcasm,  _ “As long as you’re not suggesting kidnapping more children-” _

“Let it go, Gabriel.” Nathalie sighed, interrupting him, “I was just going to say that Adrien has been nothing but a  _ gentleman _ with his girlfriend, and I have the utmost confidence that you will be satisfied with the nature of their relationship.” She paused to let that sink in, “I wouldn’t recommend pressing an issue like that with him, given his current state. I can’t imagine that he would respond well to that kind of prodding.”

_ “Are the two of them close?” _

“Very much so.” Nathalie said, and immediately felt guilty as she recalled the way she had threatened Marinette to try and control Chat Noir.

_ “Well, send them my regards.”  _ Gabriel said, and hung up without another word.

**********

“...sorry?” Ladybug blinked in confusion, as if she truly didn’t  _ understand _ his words.

_ “Mayura.” _ Chat Noir repeated himself, and couldn’t stop the sarcasm creeping into his voice as he added, “Hawkmoth’s deputy, the Peacock wielder-”

“I  _ know _ who our number two enemy is!” Ladybug interrupted him, narrowing her eyes, “Did you just say that she learned your identity!?”

And maybe it was just because he used to be in love with her, but hearing Ladybug so  _ angry _ with him  _ stung _ way more than Chat Noir had expected. No matter how much their relationship was strained, he had  _ never _ wanted her to be upset with him. She had been his first love, and was still his partner… in some ways, he wasn’t sure he could  _ ever _ truly move on. Even though Chat Noir had done his best to do just that, there was no denying the reality that Ladybug still held a  _ lot _ of influence over his heart.

It was that very  _ influence _ that had led Chat Noir to distance himself from her. He was honestly  _ afraid _ that he might just go back to adoring her like he had before.

“Well…  _ yeah, _ she learned who I am.” Chat Noir swallowed uncomfortably, “But I don’t think-”

“How could this  _ happen?”  _ Ladybug demanded, and she began to pace back and forth in increased agitation, as the weight of Chat Noir’s statement seemed to sink in, “Chat… this is  _ terrible!  _ If Mayura knows who you are, that means that Hawkmoth can-”

“I  _ know!” _ He snapped, causing Ladybug to stop her pacing and look her partner in the eyes, “Trust me, I am  _ fully _ aware of the consequences that this has on the people around me!” Chat Noir took a calming breath,  _ “Everybody _ that I know is at risk now, and there’s  _ nobody _ that understands that better than I do.  _ Trust _ me.” Chat Noir regarded Ladybug with a look that he hoped came off as more regretful than hostile, but he honestly wasn’t sure.

The two partners stared at each other, and Chat Noir could practically  _ taste _ the tension in the air as Ladybug stared at him like he’d lost his mind. And he really couldn’t blame her, considering the circumstances. Chat Noir had just admitted to not keeping the  _ one _ secret Ladybug and Master Fu had entrusted him with keeping, and he had gone  _ months _ without telling her. Granted, she didn’t know how long it had been just yet, and he didn’t  _ have _ to tell her, but the situation was still  _ really  _ bad. He’d be angry if Ladybug hid something like this from him after all...

_ “How?” _ Ladybug repeated her earlier demand, “Did she follow you home after our last meeting? Were you approached as a civilian? I need to know what happened!”

“Does it matter?” Chat Noir said with a sigh, “We should be worrying about how we’re going to keep my family safe, shouldn’t we?”

“It  _ does _ matter.” Ladybug hissed, “If she found out your identity, then there’s a real chance she’s going to try and figure out  _ mine, _ if she hasn’t done so already.”

“I don’t think she knows who you are.” He said evasively, “She only figured it out because the Reaper managed to-” Chat Noir winced, realizing that he’d just given away the exact time he’d been exposed.

_“Wait.”_ Ladybug’s eyes widened in total shock, _“The Reaper_ _learned who you are!?”_

“I can explain-”

“That was three  _ months  _ ago!” Ladybug practically shouted at him, “You mean to tell me that your identity, your most  _ valuable _ secret, has been blown since  _ September!?” _ Her eyes were wide with disbelief, and Chat Noir found himself struggling to maintain his composure. She took his lack of response as confirmation.

“You’ve gotta be  _ shitting  _ me.” Ladybug turned away from him, pulling at her own hair in a sign of clear frustration.

“I- I’m sorry…” Chat Noir said, “I was afraid you’d-”

“Afraid I’d  _ what?” _ She snapped right back around, and quickly became annoyed when Chat Noir didn’t respond, “Don’t you  _ dare  _ ignore me!”

He’d been afraid of a lot of things, many of which would be hard to explain. Chat Noir had been afraid that Master Fu would take Plagg away from him, more than anything else. And unlike Chat Noir, Ladybug had had direct and regular contact with the Master before he left Paris. And given the way she’d acted before, hiding the Master’s entire  _ existence _ until the old man allowed it… Chat Noir had no reason to believe that Ladybug wouldn’t take Fu’s side without hesitation.

“I thought that Master Fu might take my Miraculous.” Chat Noir said quietly, bowing his head in disappointment, “I  _ lied _ to Master Fu about it… and you listen to him without question, so I-”

Ladybug’s reaction was enough to stop him mid-sentence. The spotted heroine immediately  _ flinched _ from his words, and stared at Chat Noir like he’d just finished killing a puppy in front of her. He could feel his own heart breaking as the girl he once  _ loved _ realized just how much he’d let her down. Chat Noir was basically accusing her of being willing to steal his Miraculous without question, and of just being a tool for Master Fu. Even more disturbingly… he wasn’t sure whether or not he meant it.

“Why would I- I mean, why would  _ he…” _ Ladybug waved her arms desperately, unable to complete her own sentence.

“I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve met Master Fu.” Chat Noir said bitterly, unable to stop himself, “I lost the  _ only _ secret you two let me keep.” He took a deep breath, “I only put as much trust in you as you put in me…”

“You  _ can’t _ mean that!” Ladybug seemed to regain her composure, “Chat, you  _ know _ I trust you-”

“Oh,  _ cut _ the act, you do  _ not  _ trust me!” Chat Noir immediately lost his cool as Ladybug repeated that same lie she’d been feeding him for a whole year now, “You  _ say _ you trust me… you  _ say  _ that we’re partners, and for  _ what?” _ Ladybug was silent now, only able to stare as her partner continued to angrily rant into the night. “How many of our allies have  _ I  _ picked!?” Chat Noir yelled, “Scratch that, how many times have you even  _ told me _ who  _ you _ picked?” His initial regret about not telling Ladybug the truth seemed to vanish, as more and more old wounds surfaced in his mind.

“We are  _ not _ partners, and I’m  _ sick  _ of you acting like we are!” Chat Noir yelled, before he could stop himself.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Chat Noir realized that he was being a bit unfair. Ladybug had just been doing what she thought was right all along, and she had shown plenty of times that she really  _ did _ care about him. Moreover, Chat Noir shouldn’t have been keeping the whole Mayura situation secret from her, meaning that she really did have a right to be mad at him for what he’d done.

But even as Chat Noir realized these things, he couldn’t stop being so  _ angry.  _ Sure, Ladybug cared about Chat Noir, but did she really  _ respect _ him?

“Do you…” Ladybug blinked twice, and Chat Noir froze when he noticed  _ tears _ brewing at the corners of her sparkling blue eyes.

She couldn’t even finish her sentence, as she swiftly turned away, burying her head in her hands as she began to openly  _ sob. _ Chat Noir was still unmoving, as he wasn’t sure he could believe the sight in front of him.  _ Ladybug, _ the city’s great heroine, was  _ crying _ in front of him. He’d seen her doubt herself before, like on the day they’d first received their Miraculous, but he’d  _ never _ seen her just  _ collapse. _ The closest she’d ever been to this was during their two day battle with the Reaper, when she’d yelled at him and Alya, but at least she still had her  _ spirit  _ back then.

_ “Why?” _ Ladybug sobbed, looking at him with a completely  _ devastated _ expression,  _ “Why _ would you say that!?”

The realization that he was making a girl cry was enough to awaken the son of Gabriel and Emilie Agreste, the one that had been raised as a gentleman his entire life. Whether he meant what he’d said or not… he felt like a complete  _ jerk.  _ Unsure of what to do, he stepped forwards, reaching out to his former partner.

“Ladybug… I didn’t mean to-” He hesitated, but Ladybug didn’t even look at him.

_ “Don’t.” _ She hissed, still crying as she drew her yoyo,  _ “Just. Leave. Me. Alone!” _

And before he could formulate another sentence, Ladybug leapt away into the night, leaving Chat Noir even more alone than he’d been before this mess began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope to have the next chapter up soon, and I'm sorry about all the angst :)


	9. Counsel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not the balcony scene you're looking for...

Kagami stirred, as a clear _ knocking _ sound was enough to wake her. She blinked in confusion, and then a slight _ panic _ seemed to take over as she realized that there was _ no reason _ for somebody to be outside her room at this hour. Her mother, Tomoe Tsurugi, never left her room at night, and the staff had left _ hours _ ago.

Even stranger, the sound seemed to be coming from outside her window...

Kagami took a deep breath, calming her nerves. Panic would do no good in this situation, after all. Her phone was on her dresser, across the room, meaning she wouldn’t be able to call for help. That left _ fighting _ as the only viable option... Kagami quickly slid out of bed, grabbing a wooden practice sword from next to her nightstand as she approached the window. It probably wouldn’t be enough to win a direct confrontation, _ especially _ if this was another akumatized villain, but having _ any _ sort of heavy weapon could distract long enough for her to-

_ “Kagami.” _ The Japanese girl nearly jumped into the ceiling.

“Adrien?” She spluttered, finally recognizing the familiar silhouette of Chat Noir climbing through her window.

“Not while I’m in costume.” Chat Noir scolded, but it was clear that his heart wasn’t into the reprimand. His ears were drooping, and his tail dragged as he sat down on the windowsill. He regarded Kagami with a truly disheartened expression. 

“I apologize.” Kagami said, in regards to her slip-up. She didn’t put down the sword though, as she _ really _ didn’t appreciate the late-night visit, “Want to explain why you’re visiting me only _ ten minutes _ after midnight!?”

“I needed to talk to somebody,” Adrien said simply, shifting awkwardly as he sat, “If you need me to go somewhere else, I could-”

“It’s fine.” Kagami assured him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, “You should come in though, if you need somebody to confide in.”

Regardless of any inconvenience to her sleep schedule… Kagami would _ always _ find a way to make time for Adrien Agreste. He was both a valued friend (her first friend, actually), and the hero that had saved her life from the most sadistic serial killer in all of Europe. She owed him _ big time _ for that, and her counsel was the least she could do for him. Not to mention… Kagami still harbored feelings for him, even if it wasn’t reciprocal.

“I remember you were going to speak with Ladybug tonight…” Kagami prompted, as the superhero settled down on a chair in front of her bed, “Am I wrong in assuming that the conversation didn’t go as planned?”

“Understatement of the year.” Chat Noir said with a sigh, and Kagami frowned as she noticed that he was yet to drop his transformation. Did he not want to speak with Plagg? Or maybe he was just worried about security… either way, something wasn’t right.

Adrien had gone to tell Ladybug the truth about what happened with the Reaper. He’d been quite clearly _ torn _ about it when he called Kagami earlier, and there was a real chance that Ladybug hadn’t reacted well to the news. After all, going by what Adrien had described, Ladybug could be quite _ temperamental _ when she wanted to be. She’d cast aside her earrings while Kagami was still kidnapped, leaving Chat Noir to do all of the heavy lifting.

“But at least you’ve cleared the air.” Kagami comforted, “You’ve told her the truth, and now you’re on the same page. That’s _ something.” _

“You’d _ think.” _ Chat Noir gave a derisive snort, “But no… we both let the conversation get a little more _ personal _ than it needed to be.”

As much as Kagami cast doubt on Ladybug’s actions, Kagami didn’t _ know _ Ladybug. She’d never looked the spotted heroine in the eye and just _ talked _ to her. Kagami didn’t understand what made Ladybug _ tick, _ and she’d never competed with her for anything. Kagami had no idea what Ladybug _ wanted _ in life, or what she was willing to sacrifice in achieving those wants. Their interactions had been limited to basic formalities after Kagami’s akumatization.

But with Adrien… Kagami knew him _ well. _ And no matter how tight-lipped about his relationship with Ladybug that he might be, Kagami could tell that he was _ immensely _ dissatisfied with how she treated him. And from Adrien’s admittedly one-sided telling of events, Kagami had no reason to question his judgement. Ladybug treated him more like a sidekick than a partner, and _ refused _ to share pertinent information with him. Meaning that if Adrien had actually _ challenged _ Ladybug on an issue tonight, it was probably something that needed to be said, as far as Kagami was concerned.

Adrien had been cagey on the issue, but Kagami had been able to guess that Ladybug was his mysterious crush before Marinette. In other words, Kagami was _ very _ suspicious that Chat Noir had put up with so much up to this point because he _ adored _ Ladybug. And his decision to move on might very well be the catalyst for their entire argument.

“Did you mean what you said?” Kagami asked, and Chat Noir gave a helpless shrug in response.

“I meant it when I said it.” Chat Noir said, “That doesn’t make it right though…”

Kagami was a firm believer in _ honesty, _ and owning up to one’s feelings. She hadn’t _ hesitated _ to tell Adrien that she fancied him, all those months ago, and she hadn’t hesitated to tell Chloe Bourgeois to mind her own damn business when the blonde harassed her for it. In Kagami’s mind, there was no _ point _ in hiding how you actually felt, and she didn’t think Chat Noir would benefit from living his life any differently.

“A true war is better than a false peace.” Kagami mused, and Adrien tilted his head.

“Sorry?” He asked, and Kagami gave him a small smile.

“It’s what my mother would say to me.” Kagami explained, “Basically, lying about how you feel, or pretending all is well can give you short-term calamity.” Adrien frowned as he considered his friend’s adage, “In other words, it’s _ better _ to stand up for yourself and risk a fight than it is to roll over and let somebody else control you. Honest conflict is better than a dishonest ceasefire.”

“But isn’t peace _ always _ better than war?” Chat Noir questioned, and Kagami chuckled.

“If peace is “always better than war,” then why haven’t you hand-delivered that ring of yours to Hawkmoth yet?” Kagami gestured at his wrist.

“That’s _ different.” _ Adrien argued, “Ladybug hasn’t been mind-controlling innocent people.”

“And I suppose it’s your job to draw the line.” Kagami said with a sigh.

At the end of the day, Kagami couldn’t make choices for Adrien. But from what Kagami could determine, he had a history of letting Ladybug do just that. Pretending that his relationship with Ladybug was something other than the dysfunctional mess it seemed to be would be a disservice to the both of them.

“I’ll do my best.” Chat Noir said with a humorless laugh, “But either way… Ladybug and I _ still _ need to draw up a plan for dealing with Mayura.” He shook his head in shame, “Somehow, in all the mudslinging, we never actually got around to fixing the _ problem.” _

“It sounds like the two of you missed your true calling in life.” Kagami smiled, “You’d both make _ fine _ politicians.”

“Right.” Adrien gave a chuckle of his own, before the two of them fell into a comfortable silence.

“Well…” Kagami said, rising to her feet, “No matter what Ladybug or anybody else says, _ I’m _ still on your side, for whatever that’s worth.”   
  


“Thanks Kagami.” He gave her a genuine smile, as he walked back over to her window, “And I really do appreciate the late-night therapy session.”

_ That’s nothing. _ Kagami almost wanted to yell at the boy, and explain to him that had literally _ saved her life _ from the most dangerous serial killer in all of Europe. If he needed an ear to listen, hers would always be open. Chat Noir was a real _ hero, _ not some emotionally insecure teenager who put down her sword (or yoyo) the moment life got difficult. But Kagami knew that such praise would make Adrien uncomfortable, so she decided to defuse the tension.

“You know, most friends resort to phone calls in these situations.” Kagami teased, as Chat Noir climbed onto her windowsill.

“I’ll keep it in mind.” Adrien smiled, before vaulting away into the night.

**********

Wayzz found the interactions between Marinette’s parents (what were their names again?) to be quite _ interesting. _

The small turtle had needed something to occupy himself with while Ladybug went to meet with Chat Noir, and he’d overheard the two of them having a very _ heated _ discussion about whether or not they had made the right choice allowing their daughter to leave town this weekend. Marinette’s father seemed to be advocating in favor of allowing it, while the mother seemed to be doubting her previous decision to allow it.

“Come on Sabine, her grades have been getting _ much _ better.” The large man argued, “In the last three months, she hasn’t missed any classes, and she’s even managed to make extra time for helping us in the bakery. I’d say that Adrien has been a _ fantastic _ influence on her.” He paused, before adding, “And _ besides, _ Mr. Agreste has probably already made arrangements. I don’t think it would go over very well if we suddenly cancelled-”

“And I’m not disputing that Tom.” Sabine said with a sigh, “It’s not that I don’t trust her, or even Adrien for that matter, I’m just _ worried…” _

“Marinette’s growing up.” Tom said sympathetically, putting a hand on her elbow.

“Maybe it’s all those cashews she’s been eating lately.” Sabine said with a laugh, and Wayzz immediately beamed at the mention of his favorite food, “Still _ nothing _ compared to all the macaroons she eats though… _ how _ is that girl so skinny?”

“Must have gotten her mother’s genes.” The man said, laughing along with his wife.

“In all seriousness though…” She gave a soft sigh, “Are you _ sure _ we’re not being bad parents by letting her go?”

“I’m sure.” Tom nodded, but couldn’t suppress a smile, “Granted, my father was a “be back by morning” sort of man, and my mother wasn’t much different, so my perspective might be a bit skewed.”

To Wayzz, the answer was obvious: Marinette should _ not _ be leaving town given her responsibilities as Ladybug, and as the acting Guardian of the Miraculous. Those duties _ had _ to take precedence over her personal life, and if she wasn’t willing to do that then she wasn’t fit to be the Guardian in the first place. The way that Marinette seemed to be _ shirking _ that responsibility was causing Wayzz to _ seriously _ question her judgement.

That being said, Marinette’s parents didn’t know about their daughter’s double life. And with that in mind, Wayzz couldn’t see any reason to prevent Marinette from leaving town with her mate. From what Wayzz had observed of human behavior in his _ thousands _ of years knowing them, he found it _ odd _ that a girl Marinette’s age was still living with her parents. Granted, that was something Wayzz found himself questioning about _ all _ of this era, and obviously not something wrong with Marinette in particular. Wayzz still couldn’t quite wrap his head around the ways that human society had changed throughout his life, _ especially _in the last century under Master Fu.

After Marinette’s parents seemed to wrap up their discussion, Wayzz casually floated back upstairs, wondering if Ladybug had returned from her late-night rendezvous with Chat Noir. The situation had sounded important, and he would of course be expecting a full briefing on the matter when Marinette got back-

_ “Wayzz!” _ A feminine voice hissed before he could phase into the girl’s room, _ “Over here!” _

“Tikki?” Wayzz blinked, and was indeed greeted by the sight of the crimson kwami when he looked to his right, “Is something the matter?”

“You could say that.” Tikki said with a sigh, “Chat Noir was being a bit… _ difficult, _ to say the least. He said some things that really upset her, and she told me that she wants to be alone after she changed back.” Tikki shook her head sadly, “Truth be told… I should consider myself lucky that she didn’t take off her earrings again.”

“What on Earth would _ Chat Noir _ be upset about?” Wayzz wondered.

Wayzz had only seen the boy bearing Chat Noir’s mantle a handful of times. They’d only met formally _ once, _ when Master Fu had visited the boy’s estate to deliver the necessary cheese for Plagg’s environmental transformations. He’d seemed to be in decent spirits back then, and he was apparently Marinette’s current mate. Granted, the last time Fu had spoken with him, he’d seemed a bit _ shaken _ by the Reaper’s actions, but nothing time couldn’t fix. 

“A lot of things.” Tikki said bitterly, “We’ve got _ another _ problem too; Mayura and Hawkmoth know Chat Noir’s identity!”

“I beg your pardon?” Wayzz’s eyes widened in shock.

The number one priority of the Guardian was _ always _ the security of the Miraculous. And for as long as Wayzz could remember, anonymity has the best shield for guaranteeing their safety. The Guardian was to remain hidden whenever possible, and the identities of the Miraculous wielders were protected through both the magic of their transformations, and the way the color schemes of the jewels changed when they were in civilian form. 

And if Chat Noir’s identity had somehow been compromised… there was no choice but to remove the Black Cat Miraculous ring from his possession as soon as possible. Hawkmoth could _ never _ be allowed to get his hands on either Ladybug or Chat Noir’s Miraculous, and _ especially _ not both of them. It was imperative that Ladybug act now, and retrieve Plagg from this dangerous situation.

“If that’s true…” Wayzz said, “Then we _ have _ to take the Miraculous away from him!”

“I _ know _ what the rules are.” Tikki said angrily, “But I don’t see how we’d even go about enforcing them right now! Marinette is in no condition to go and take Plagg back, and that’s ignoring the fact that she doesn’t even know where to find him!”

“She doesn’t know his identity…” Wayzz recalled with a wince, “And we kwamis are _ forbidden _ to disclose such information.”

_ “Exactly!” _ Tikki nodded furiously, “Meaning that Marinette has no way of getting Plagg to safety, unless she can get in contact with Master Fu!”

“How is Marinette?” Wayzz asked, “You said that she’s quite upset.”

_ “Extremely.” _ Tikki nodded in agreement, “Chat Noir went off the rails tonight. He questioned Master Fu’s judgement, _ admitted _ that his identity was compromised, and then proceeded to tell Ladybug that he wasn’t her partner anymore.”

“Has he-” Wayzz’s eyes widened.

“-turned against us?” Tikki finished, and gave a helpless shrug, “Honestly? I don’t know Wayzz… I don’t think he has _ yet, _ but he’s definitely becoming a liability.”

On the day Marinette had brought Master Fu the Miraculous spellbook, Wayzz and Master Fu had entertained a brief discussion about a situation like this. Before his akumatization, Marinette and the Master had suspected that Chat Noir’s father might be Hawkmoth’s true identity, which posed _ immediate _ questions about where the boy’s loyalties were. Fortunately, Gabriel Agreste had cleared his name that very same day by becoming The Collector, but it had still been an unnerving discussion.

Needless to say, the possibility of Marinette or Chat Noir turning against them was something they weren’t prepared for. And the few plans they _ had _ discussed weren’t going to work with Master Fu unavailable. Without having Chat Noir’s true identity at their disposal… it was up to Ladybug to either convince him to give up the ring, or resort to more _ direct _ means if necessary.

“That just makes it even _ more _ important that we relieve him of his Miraculous.” Wayzz said, injecting as much authority into his voice as he could, “I suggest that we reason with Plagg about the matter as soon as possible, and see if we can convince the boy to hand it over willingly.” Wayzz paused, allowing that to sink in, “Otherwise, I think you _ know _ what we have to do, or rather, what _ Ladybug _ will have to do.”

Tikki’s eyes widened immediately, and she stared at Wayzz like he’d just suggested murdering somebody.

“Wayzz… you can’t be serious.” Tikki spluttered, “Marinette is barely functioning right now. She’s _ devastated _ that Chat Noir thinks she might take his Miraculous. You can’t honestly be suggesting that we prove him _ right!” _

“That’s _ exactly _ what I’m suggesting.” Wayzz said solemnly, “Regardless of what Chat Noir said tonight, we are _ both _concerned about the security of the Black Cat Miraculous, are we not?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean-”

“And you _ know _ what Master Fu would do.” Wayzz insisted, “He would remove the Miraculous as soon as he could! And in his absence, _ we _are the ranking authorities-”

_ “Actually.” _ Tikki’s eyes narrowed, “I think the responsibility falls on _ Marinette, _ the acting guardian in Master Fu’s absence.” She sighed, “And _ besides, _ I seriously doubt Plagg will be willing to just cast Adrien out at the tip of a hat.”

It was a complex issue, and one that neither kwami had ever experienced. If Marinette wanted to do things differently than Master Fu… was she _ allowed _ to? One thing was certain; both Wayzz and Tikki were beholden to Marinette’s will for as long as she wielded their Miraculous. Wayzz _ agreed _ with what Master Fu said, but he really didn’t have the power to resist if Marinette decided otherwise. It was just a limitation of being a kwami.

“I don’t know what type of operation Plagg is running.” Wayzz said coldly, “But his chosen has been exposed to our enemies. We have no _ choice _ but to make sure his power is not lost to the forces of evil…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to everybody for reading! I apologize again for all of the angst.


	10. Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tikki and Wayzz get yelled at, perhaps more than they deserve, but perhaps not... Either way, the angst continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter references some pretty violent events, so if that bothers you, just skip the section beginning "Plagg!" and let me know in the comments below. I can fill you in down there.

“Marinette?” Tikki’s voice was cautious, but also determined as she gently poked at the sleeping girl she’d been entrusted to.

Well, “sleeping” was a bit of an exaggeration. Marinette was currently balled up in her blankets, doing her very best to block out the rest of the world. After everything that had happened… talking to Tikki was the  _ last _ thing Marinette wanted to do. Tikki was going to say something that  _ seemed _ comforting in the moment, or find some other way of pretending that Marinette’s problems weren’t  _ really _ all that important. Marinette would initially protest, but eventually cave to the small kwami’s predictable righteousness. Maybe, if Marinette pretended she couldn’t hear-

“I  _ know _ you’re faking it.”

“What do you  _ want?” _ Marinette spat, rolling over aggressively to face her kwami.

“I want to  _ help  _ you.” Tikki said, and Marinette felt like vomiting in her sheets.

Tikki’s  _ help _ wasn’t going to fix Marinette’s relationship with Chat Noir. Her  _ help _ wasn’t going to get Master Fu back in Paris any faster, and it wasn’t going to exempt her from becoming the new guardian after the old man’s eventual death. All Tikki’s  _ help _ was going to do was guilt Marinette into keeping up her heroic front for the time being.

“Seriously…” Tikki said, taking Marinette’s silence as an invitation to continue, when it was really anything but, “I understand that you’re upset about-”

_ “Upset!?” _ Marinette spluttered, glaring at her companion, “Oh  _ really? _ And  _ how _ exactly did you come to that conclusion Tikki? Was it the way that my supposed  _ partner _ basically said that I’m a manipulative  _ bitch?” _ Tikki twitched anxiously, but Marinette wasn’t finished, “Or  _ maybe _ it was the way  _ I  _ was forced to defend some  _ stupid old rules _ about the some dusty old jewelry that I didn’t even write!?”

“I’m…” Tikki waved her arms around desperately, “I’m sure Master Fu-”

“Master Fu isn’t  _ here!” _ Marinette snapped, “He’s off God-knows-where, and he left  _ me _ in charge of everything without even the faintest  _ clue _ of what to do!” Marinette was crying now, as the dam she’d built around her emotions shattered, unleashing a flood of  _ devastating  _ proportions, “He didn’t  _ ask _ me to become Ladybug, he didn’t  _ ask _ me to become the acting guardian! He just  _ told _ me what he  _ needed _ me to do…”

Marinette had certainly lashed out at Tikki before…  _ especially _ after the last akuma battle, but nothing like this. Tikki had clearly wanted to speak, but now that Marinette had hit her with all of this frustration… the kwami was rendered speechless. The look Tikki was giving Marinette was one filled with raw  _ hurt, _ but Marinette had to resist the urge to feel guilty.

“And do you know what the  _ worst _ bit is?” Marinette asked, holding a tear-filled eye contact with her small companion.

“I can’t say I do.” Tikki said quietly.

“I  _ let _ him.” Marinette said, shaking her head in disappointment, “I  _ let _ Master Fu and his mystical world of magic and kwamis take over my  _ life.” _ Tikki’s eyes widened, “Somehow… I convinced myself that my own friendships, and my own  _ happiness  _ were less important than stopping some  _ freak _ in a butterfly costume from making a pigeon man for the fortieth time...”

This had gone on for too long…  _ far _ too long. Marinette had made a habit out of letting  _ other _ people’s needs dictate her life. Apparently, by saving an old man from oncoming traffic, she had unintentionally declared that she wanted to fight his battles for him  _ indefinitely,  _ while he wasted away in his apartment. It didn’t matter what  _ Marinette _ was going through,  _ Ladybug  _ was more important. Chat Noir used to throw down his life for Ladybug  _ without hesitation, _ until she proved to him she wasn’t everything he had imagined. As soon as Ladybug made exactly  _ one _ mistake, Chat Noir decided that Ladybug wasn’t the great superheroine he had created in his mind’s eye; she was just a regular girl… 

“Marinette…” Tikki said quietly, and Marinette considered covering her ears, “Do you really wish you’d never met Master Fu?”  _ Do you really wish you’d never met me? _ Tikki’s fragile question went unspoken, but not unasked.

“I don’t  _ know.” _ Marinette said, rolling over and curling up in her blankets even more, “I don’t really know anything these days…”

Fortunately, Tikki decided not to say anything else. Marinette felt a pang of  _ guilt _ at what she’d said, implying that she wanted to get rid of Tikki, but Marinette didn’t have the physical or mental strength to deal with it right now. She could apologize later… she could swear to do better, kick around even more bad guys to make up for her current reluctance.

But right now? She just needed to  _ sleep... _

**********

_ “Plagg!” _ A quiet, but insistent voice woke Plagg from his slumber.

“Not now kid…” Plagg muttered, not in the mood for another argument, “Just wait until the morning…”

Needless to say, Plagg hadn’t been happy with the way Chat Noir handled the situation with Ladybug. He’d lashed out, made the conversation about  _ Master Fu _ of all things, when he should’ve been worrying about dealing with Mayura, and keeping his family safe, not to mention Plagg and the Black Cat Miraculous. Adrien had let himself get sucked into a fight when Ladybug had  _ understandably _ been upset about his lack of honesty in the previous months… it was both pointless and  _ unbecoming, _ and Plagg had been thoroughly disappointed in his chosen.

_ Good grief… _ Plagg thought to himself,  _ I sound like an old man. _

“I’m not that  _ boy _ of yours.” An indignant voice said, much louder than before, “And they say that  _ I _ have an issue keeping people straight…”

_ “Wayzz?” _ Plagg blinked, immediately jolting awake.

Sure enough, the flying turtle himself was floating in front of Plagg’s sock-bed on Adrien’s nightstand. He was hovering low, beneath the sightline of Adrien’s bed, presumably trying to conceal his presence. From the looks of it, Wayzz wasn’t pleased about  _ anything, _ and was probably about to give Plagg a lecture for the ages. Given the way things had turned out, Plagg couldn’t really blame him.

_ “You’re damn right it’s Wayzz!” _ Wayzz hissed, clearly struggling to keep his voice at a level that would leave Adrien asleep,  _ “You have a lot of explaining to do!” _

_ “Relax.” _ Plagg held up a paw, “We can talk about this up there if it  _ really _ can’t wait until morning.” He paused, gesturing at the upper balcony of Adrien’s room, “Honestly, I’m surprised you were even able to  _ find _ this place.”

“Tikki gives  _ adequate _ directions.” Wayzz said with a huff, and promptly floated up to Plagg’s indicated position.

Plagg took his time joining Wayzz. He flew around quietly, making sure to grab the photograph of Emilie Agreste that Mayura had  _ generously _ handed over. After all, if he was going to make a case for Adrien’s actions, he might as well tell Wayzz the  _ whole _ truth. It wouldn’t save Plagg from the turtle kwami’s imminent lecture, but it might be enough to calm him down a bit, given the severity of what Mayura had threatened.

“Look…” Plagg said as he landed on the railing, “I  _ get _ that my kid was a bit out of line tonight, but I don’t think-”

_ “Out of line!?” _ Wayzz spluttered, fixing Plagg with a  _ vicious _ glare, “The boy’s identity has been known for  _ months  _ now, and neither of you have said  _ anything _ about it!” Wayzz shook his head in frustration, “Do you have any  _ idea _ what position you’ve forced us into? You  _ know _ what Master Fu said to do in this situation.”

Plagg blinked in confusion, not recalling what Master Fu had said. Rules and regulations were much more Tikki’s fortay, and Plagg had always assumed  _ somebody _ would be there to fill him in if it became important. After all, it was  _ extremely _ rare for a kwami to be in a situation where the Guardian was out of reach. More often than not, a boy in Adrien’s position would be receiving regular lessons, where Wayzz or Pollen would be able to fill in any gaps. Honestly, Plagg had been surprised that Fu did things so differently, but Plagg had learned to trust the Guardian of the Miraculous over the years.

After all, they tended to know what they were talking about…

“Chat Noir is to hand over his Miraculous  _ immediately.” _ Wayzz said angrily, and Plagg’s eyes widened in  _ shock, _ “We cannot  _ afford _ to lose your Miraculous, and Hawkmoth’s knowledge of his identity puts its safety in  _ serious _ jeopardy.”   
  


“Now wait just a minute…” Plagg blubbered, looking around helplessly for something to latch onto, “You can't  _ seriously- _ I mean, Adrien can’t-” But Plagg was unable to complete the thought, and was reduced to simply staring at his stern-faced green visitor. The photograph of Emilie Agreste slid out of his paws, slowly drifting back down to the ground level, completely unnoticed by either kwami.

Plagg couldn’t believe it; Had Master Fu  _ really _ said that? That was never how things had been done before, at least not that Plagg remembered. Taking away Chat Noir’s power was going to put Adrien in even  _ more _ danger, not  _ less. _ But more importantly, Plagg had practically  _ forced _ Adrien to come clean on this. Adrien had been afraid of something like this… but Plagg had  _ assured _ him that talking to Master Fu and Ladybug was the right move.

He  _ couldn’t  _ allow this!

“Master Fu’s orders were  _ clear.” _ Wayzz said, “You  _ must _ tell Chat Noir to turn the ring over the Ladybug at  _ once!” _

“Since  _ when _ was that how we did things!?” Plagg protested, “Wayzz, we’ve  _ never _ taken somebody’s Miraculous for having their identity exposed!”

“The world has never been this…  _ connected _ before.” Wayzz countered, and gestured down at Adrien’s computer, “These strange new  _ devices _ complicate  _ everything, _ and you know it. Our enemies benefit from anonymity to a truly  _ horrifying _ degree. The world we once knew, one where Miraculous heroes and strange kwamis could be dismissed as mere legends… it’s  _ over, _ and it’s high time we started acting like it.” Wayzz sighed, probably reminiscing on the world of yesterday, and just how much the world had  _ changed. _

“So I’ll say it again.” Wayzz looked back at Plagg, “Chat Noir must-”

“His name is  _ Adrien!” _ Plagg snapped, “And  _ fuck _ Master Fu’s orders; if you take me away, Adrien’s going to be  _ powerless _ to defend himself! Mayura will capture him, and then Hawkmoth will pump him for information-” Plagg hesitated, as the image of Adrien enduring an interrogation brought some painful memories to the surface.

“That’s  _ unfortunate.” _ Wayzz said through gritted teeth, “And as much as I  _ sympathize _ with your desire to ensure his safety, the security of the Black Cat Miraculous is-”

_ “-not  _ more important!” Plagg interrupted, floating in front of Wayzz aggressively, “My  _ chosen _ matters a hell of a lot more than some stupid ring!”

“Oh  _ really?” _ Wayzz had the audacity to  _ laugh, _ “You  _ actually _ think that the safety of one  _ human boy _ is more important than the key to half of  _ absolute power?” _ Wayzz shook his head in a sort of twisted amusement, and Plagg’s eyes began to narrow, “You really haven’t changed, have you? You  _ still _ don’t consider the consequences of your actions. I would’ve  _ thought, _ after the way things turned out with Lily, that you might’ve actually learned your les-”

_ “Don’t. You. Dare.” _ Plagg interrupted, his eyes glowing with rage, as the entire building began to shake, stopping Wayzz mid-sentence as he looked at Plagg with something resembling  _ fear. _

The entire Agreste Mansion trembled, and various items began to slide off of Adrien’s shelves.

Wayzz had a  _ lot _ of nerve… he was lucky Plagg didn’t Cataclysm him on the spot! It was one thing to go after how Plagg had been handling Adrien… it  _ hurt, _ but there was  _ truth  _ to it. After all, it was Plagg’s fault that he hadn’t listened to Fu’s instructions, and he hadn’t adequately prepared Adrien for the trials he’d faced, Plagg could  _ own _ those mistakes. They were going to haunt him for a long time, and he  _ needed _ to be called out for them.

Pretending like Adrien’s life didn’t even  _ matter… _ Plagg drew a line there.

But as much as Plagg  _ deplored _ what Wayzz had said about Adrien… Plagg forgot  _ everything _ else once the name  _ Lily _ exited that turtle’s mouth.

“You have  _ no right!” _ Plagg yelled, disregarding his noise level. Wayzz looked around anxiously, as the entire balcony began to quiver, but Plagg wasn’t finished, “Look at  _ me! _ Look me in the  _ eyes, _ you fucking  _ coward!” _

“Did you ever even  _ see _ Lily in her final days!?” Plagg demanded, and Wayzz trembled as he shook his head no, “You weren’t  _ there,  _ as the guards gorged out her eyes! You weren’t  _ there, _ as they chopped off  _ finger _ after  _ finger!” _ Plagg was flying back and forth, each syllable unleashing another bout of destructive energy, causing Adrien’s room more and more unnoticed damage.

But Plagg couldn’t see the growing destruction around him. All he could see were Lily’s soft blue eyes, wide with absolute  _ fear _ as hot metal came closer and closer… She was shaking, but her restraints were too strong. The guards had stopped asking questions what seemed like  _ hours _ ago, instead just  _ laughing _ as they competed to see how much they could make their victim scream. If not for the magic preventing kwamis from using their power directly on humans… Plagg would’ve unleashed on them a  _ hell _ like no other.

“Has your chosen ever  _ suffered?” _ Plagg asked rhetorically, and his voice began to quiver as more and more of the details of the final night came back to him, “Did she ever  _ beg? _ Did she ever ask  _ you _ to take her life, so she could just be  _ free _ of all the pain?”

“Plagg… I didn’t mean-” Wayzz said, tripping over his words as he approached his friend. He opened his mouth again, clearly about to apologize, when his eyes widened.

Plagg turned around to see what the turtle was looking at, and his jaw dropped at the sight of none other than  _ Adrien, _ looking between the two kwamis. His foosball table was in pieces next to him, and various other items had shattered as a result of Plagg’s destructive outburst, clearly the cause of his awakening.

And as Plagg noticed the sheer  _ horror _ in the boy’s eyes, there was no  _ question  _ that he’d heard what the kwamis were arguing about... 

**********

“I take it you’re ready?” Gabriel asked, as Nooroo fluttered around anxiously.

“It’s going to work this time.” Nooroo said confidently, and gestured at the butterfly bag, “Have you prepared my siblings?”

Gabriel scratched his neck, where the scarf he’d appropriated from his father’s closet seemed to be causing more  _ itch _ than it was  _ warmth. _ He  _ detested _ being forced to use whatever substandard items his father had lying around, but Gabriel supposed it was simply the price he had to pay for not packing adequately. Despite being his  _ parents, _ David and Edith didn’t own a  _ single _ article of clothing from the  _ Gabriel _ brand. Gabriel supposed that it made sense, given the animosity between them, but it was disheartening nonetheless.

“I brought five today.” Gabriel nodded, and frowned as he noticed that the small creatures were barely moving, “They don’t appreciate seem to appreciate the cold very much.”

“Not at all.” Nooroo agreed, shivering a bit himself, “But they’ll be fine, provided we don’t take  _ terribly  _ long out here.”

The two of them had returned to the same forest clearing as Gabriel’s last attempt. The trees were still  _ barren, _ but it was fortunately yet to snow.  _ Unfortunately, _ the latest forecasts indicated that a blizzard was likely to hit during the coming weekend, while Adrien and his girlfriend were visiting.  _ Something _ had to go wrong, after all. Southern France rarely saw that kind of weather, but it certainly wasn’t unheard of, either.

Gabriel sighed out loud, as he realized that he was afraid of seeing his own  _ son. _ The boy he’d raised from birth, and spent  _ years _ nurturing to the best of his ability. He was afraid to see the person he cared about most, except  _ maybe _ the boy’s mother. He was afraid, all because of the blind,  _ stupid _ decisions he’d been making for the last year. Gabriel had neglected his duty as a father, and was continuing to do so as he stayed on the other side of the  _ country _ from his son.

Adrien still cared about his father though… didn’t he? Otherwise, Adrien wouldn’t even bother visiting in the first place, would he? Their meeting wasn’t going to be  _ easy, _ but Gabriel Agreste had neglected his role as a father for long enough.

“Nooroo…” Gabriel said softly, and took a deep breath,  _ “Wings rise!” _

And as Nooroo’s power engulfed his body, Gabriel Agreste assumed the identity of Hawkmoth once more. Gabriel could  _ feel _ Nooroo’s warmth, as the kwami was at his core a  _ good  _ creature, but there was something  _ else _ there as well. A dark power, the result of Gabriel’s own actions, possessed the brooch, giving it additional strength over the minds and bodies of his victims. This dark energy came at a price: by choosing to boost the powers of akumatization, Gabriel had sacrificed the Butterfly Miraculous’s  _ positive  _ abilities. 

Used properly, the Butterfly Miraculous could bestow power upon the just. The powers would be admittedly weaker than what his akuma could create now, but they wouldn’t  _ corrupt _ their hosts in the same way. As it stood, Hawkmoth’s akumatized victims lost all  _ restraint, _ and were reduced to their most basic urges. They were entirely consumed by a single purpose: punishing whatever had led them to feeling so badly in the first place. Such beings were easy to manipulate; few of them resisted Hawkmoth’s demand to steal Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous. 

Without this corruption, the  _ champions _ would maintain their conscious minds, and wouldn’t lose their memories of the experience, either. 

Gabriel had learned the necessary spells for this corruption from the Miraculous book he’d acquired in Nepal, but there had  _ of course _ been no simple way to reverse the procedure. He was reduced to the role of a  _ fool, _ bumbling about in the forest while he  _ tried _ to focus his positive emotions onto the brooch.

“Alright then…” Hawkmoth took a deep breath, and focused on detecting  _ positive  _ emotions in the surrounding region.

Not far from his current location, Hawkmoth sensed… a _mother?_ It was hard to make out, but the emotions were very real. From what he could tell, the mother wasn’t far, either, meaning that it would be a fine choice for his experiment. Hawkmoth felt _love,_ as this mother gazed upon her newborn children, all _s_even of them gazing back at her with similar adoration as she proceeded to lick the tops of their heads…

Hawkmoth blinked.  _ Seven  _ children?  _ Licking? _

“Damn…” He sighed, as he realized that the emotion wasn’t of human origin, “Nooroo, wings fall…”

“Gabriel?” Nooroo questioned as he rematerialized, “What happened?”

“It was a  _ cat, _ Nooroo.” Gabriel growled in frustration, “It wasn’t even  _ sentient! _ How am I supposed to better myself, when I can’t even tell a human from an  _ animal!?” _

Gabriel had been attempting this procedure for months now. And while he hadn’t even  _ tried _ to make a champion, there was no doubt in his mind that he would’ve simply created another akuma. Things were beginning to look downright  _ hopeless, _ and he was growing more and more tired of trying at all. It was clear that Gabriel lacked the necessary skills to wield this Miraculous in a meaningful way. His sins were too great… his vision was too limited.

“You didn’t even  _ try.” _ Nooroo challenged.

“A cat can’t be a champion!”

“Oh?” Nooroo looked amused, “And how exactly did you come to  _ that _ conclusion?”

“It isn’t-” Gabriel blinked, as he considered Nooroo’s implication. Was Nooroo  _ seriously _ suggesting that he could turn this mother cat into a  _ champion? _ The more Gabriel considered it, the less insane it sounded. After all, Hawkmoth had managed to akumatized a  _ computer  _ once, and a newborn child as well. They couldn’t be all that much more emotionally complex than this feline, and  _ emotion _ was the source of the Butterfly’s transformative power, not intelligence...

“You’re figuring it out.” Nooroo said with a mischievous smile, as he fluttered his wings with excitement, “I  _ know _ you want to give it a try…”

“Wings rise.” Gabriel said with an eye roll.

He stood as Hawkmoth once more, looking down at the bag of Butterflies. He could  _ feel _ the love of the mother cat. She wasn’t far… but she seemed to be weakening. Not only that, but the cold weather could be  _ dangerous _ for her offspring. With Nooroo’s power, he could give her the ability to protect them. Gabriel Agreste had never seen this cat before in his life… but he found himself wanting to help her more than he would’ve ever imagined.

“Come closer, my precious butterfly.” Hawkmoth said, reaching into the bag and grabbing one of the fragile white creatures.

Hawkmoth took a deep breath, doing his best to clear his mind as the butterfly landed on his right palm. This was the most important moment, where the wielder of the Butterfly Miraculous focused their emotions onto the flying vessel. The butterfly, in turn, would become charged and capable of bestowing tremendous power on its eventual host, hopefully allowing the mother cat to warm her offspring.

To break the dark spell… Hawkmoth needed to channel his  _ positive _ emotions, as opposed to his hatred for Ladybug and Chat Noir, or his desperation to save his wife. That, and Gabriel Agreste needed to be free of the twisted desires that inspired him to corrupt the Miraculous in the first place: his lust for the absolute power bestowed by fusing the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. The only known way of restoring Emilie’s health… 

He sighed, realizing that the more he thought about  _ not _ thinking of Emilie, the more he would inevitably do just that.

_ Just get it over with.  _ Gabriel told himself, and cupped his hands over the small creature with as much enthusiasm as he could muster… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Gabe's section felt a bit out of place here, but I felt like it could use something a bit more optimistic after the first two snippets.


	11. Scheme

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette tries to move on.

_ “Hey.” _ Nino whispered, grabbing Alya’s attention as she tried to finish her work.

Alya quickly glanced at her boyfriend, who gestured to the row in front of them, where Marinette and Adrien sat.

It didn’t take long for Alya to see what had grabbed Nino’s attention; both Marinette and Adrien looked _ devastated. _ They were both slouching in their seats, and from what little Alya could see of their faces, she could _ still _ make out the dark bags under both of their eyes. Marinette in particular looked like she was barely keeping it together; her hair was still done up in her iconic ponytail, but the ties weren’t even matching. And for a girl who had spent _ years _ practicing to become a designer, such a detail was highly out of character… 

_ “What’s eating them?” _ Nino asked, and Alya could only shrug in response.

Whatever had happened, it looked like it affected _ both _ of them. Alya’s immediate thought was of course that they’d had an argument, or even a _ breakup, _ but closer examination made that theory collapse almost immediately. In the event of a nasty argument, Alya wouldn’t expect them to still be _ together. _ Granted, both of them seemed to barely notice their partner, but it wasn’t like there was any visible tension either.

Basically, Alya had _ no idea _ what was “eating them,” and she wasn’t really in the mood to speculate on it anymore.

“Think we should talk to them?” Nino asked neutrally, and Alya had to suppress a sigh.

It was obvious that Nino just wanted an excuse to clear the water between her and Marinette. He was clearly uncomfortable with all of the tension, and still thought that there was hope for a friendship between the two of them, despite agreeing with Alya that Marinette’s actions had been _ entirely _ unreasonable. His attempts to get the two of them on speaking terms had definitely been thinning as the months went on, but Alya was honestly getting tired of them.

So no matter how _ obvious _ Nino made his intent, Alya decided that she was done acknowledging it. Marinette had made her decision, and if she _ ever _ wanted things between them to change… she was going to have to take the lead on it.

“I won’t get mad if you hang out with Adrien.” Alya said with an eye roll, ignoring Nino’s insinuation, “I’m not going to let _ my _ beef with Marinette get in the way of _ your _friendship.”

“It’s not _ just _ about that.” Nino protested, but Alya chose not to answer.

But no matter how much Alya meant what she said… seeing Adrien and _ especially _ Marinette so down in the dumps left a bad taste in her mouth.

Alya would be lying if she said that she didn’t miss the friendship between them to some extent. In fact, Alya was forced to confront the reality that she honestly _ wanted _ Marinette to reach out, even if they wouldn’t be as close as they once were. The two of them really had been through a lot, even though they’d only known each other for a year. Between Marinette’s _ constant _ support for the Ladyblog, and the way Alya _ always _ backed her up when she tried to ask out Adrien… Alya had never had a friend like that before, or since. Alya had been _ constantly _ moving over the years, and forming long-term friendships wasn’t easy, despite how naturally social she was.

_ Stop it. _ Alya scolded herself, _ You broke it off for a reason. Marinette treated you like trash, and wouldn’t even listen when you were at your lowest point. _

“Seriously?” Nino said, clearly annoyed that Alya had ignored him, “I’m not asking you to become best buddies again; just _ talk _to her.”

“And say _ what?” _ Alya challenged, unable to stop herself. She cringed at how loud her words were, but Adrien and Marinette were both dead to the world anyways, and didn’t even flinch at her escalation.

“Whatever you’d _ normally _ say to someone having a bad day.” Nino also spared a glance at the oblivious couple in front of them, “I don’t think Marinette has had many people to talk to lately… she’s clearly upset, and she doesn’t really spend time with anybody besides _ Adrien _ anymore. It’s starting to worry me.” Nino shook his head with a something like… _ disapproval? _

“Nino…” Alya blinked, “You wouldn’t happen to be _ jealous _ of Marinette, would you?”

Her boyfriend’s eyes immediately widened in horror at the insinuation, and Alya found herself suppressing a giggle. Nino’s face was quickly filled with outrage, and he opened his mouth to mount was was certain to be a strongly-worded counterargument, but he was only able to splutter incoherently. Fortunately for him, Alya was quick to show mercy.

“I’m just kidding, babe.” She teased, and Nino rolled his eyes. Maybe it was her boyfriend’s comic display distracting her, but Alya found herself in a better mood suddenly, “If you _ really _ want me to talk to her…” Alya sighed overdramatically as she glanced at the still unmoving Marinette, “I _ suppose _ I could make some time.”

“It means a lot.” Nino said with a smile, “Let me know how it goes.”

**********

The day went about as well as Marinette could have hoped.

Neither Tikki nor Wayzz had bothered her in the morning, as both kwamis were clearly uncomfortable, albeit about different things. Tikki was still reeling from Marinette’s rant the previous night, to the point that she barely _ touched _ her breakfast, opting to just nibble on it as she stared blankly out the window. Marinette felt bad… but not bad enough to comfort her. Besides, it wasn’t like anything short of a total apology would satisfy Tikki anyways. And Marinette hadn’t quite decided whether or not she meant what she said, meaning there would be no real point in apologizing about it.

And as for Wayzz… he seemed bothered by _ something. _Marinette didn’t see the need to ask, and he didn’t see the need to tell her. It could just be the way Marinette had yelled at Tikki, but she didn’t think so. Marinette had ended up talking to the flying turtle, and his disillusionment didn’t seem to be directed at her.

“Hey, it looks like we’re out of cashews.” Marinette had told him after checking downstairs for his favorite food, “Will other nuts work, or do I need to get something else?”

“Hm?” Wayzz blinked, taking a quick moment to process, “Oh! If you have peanuts or almonds, those will do just fine. Thank you very much.”

And from there, school was its usual _ drag. _ Adrien was clearly concerned by her downtrodden attitude, but Marinette was quick to say that she didn’t want to talk about it. He had opened his mouth to protest, but ended up not saying anything. And as the two of them took their seats in the classroom, Marinette couldn’t help but notice that he looked down about something as well, even _ more _ than he had the day before. 

So even though there was no visible _ conflict, _ it felt like nothing was going the way it was supposed to. Marinette could not for the life of her get herself to feel at all interested in anything her teachers were saying, and was probably missing out on vital review information for the finals. Marinette had to suppress a groan as she realized that today was the _ last day _ before the finals began. She was supposed to have a study date in the evening with Adrien, after his fencing practice ended, but she _ sincerely _doubted that would be enough.

Once the final bell rang, and Adrien had to rush home to get ready for his practice, Marinette found herself eager to head home as well. Maybe… if the kwamis kept on shunning her, she could sneak in a quick nap before Adrien arrived-

“Marinette!” The girl was about to leave the building, when a familiar voice called out her name.

“Alya?” Marinette blinked in disbelief, as her former best friend rushed towards her.

Marinette hadn’t spoken to Alya in _ months. _ Their last conversation, if you could even call it that, was a simple congratulations from Alya about Marinette’s new relationship with Adrien. Ever since Marinette’s admittedly _ vicious _ comments, Alya had refused to initiate any other contact. So to see her approaching now was… _ strange. _ Not in a bad way, but Marinette was immediately put on edge as to what the girl might want from her.

“Geez, girl…” Alya laughed uncomfortably as she caught up, “I didn’t think I’d have to _ run _ to catch up to you. What happened to after-school study sessions in the library?”

“Oh, you know…” Marinette said awkwardly, “Is there… something I can do for you?”

Marinette _ had _ used to stay in the library after school most days. She’d study with Alya, or Rose, or Nathaniel on most days. Sometimes… if Marinette was lucky, Adrien would make the time to stop by as well. Marinette could _ never _ forget all the embarrassing times Alya would suddenly “have to leave,” making it so that Adrien and Marinette were studying alone. Marinette would fumble over every word, and Adrien was either too kind or too oblivious to call her out on the _ obvious _ crush.

It had been a different time, in more ways than one. Ever since the battle with the Reaper, Marinette hadn’t felt _ any _ desire to go back to the library after school. She was already dating Adrien now, and tensions with Alya would make the sessions _ unbearably _ awkward. It was a shame, really… 

“Nothing in particular.” Alya said, and her smile faded, “Honestly… Nino and I were just a bit worried about you. You’ve been out of it all day, and-”

“I’ll be fine.” Marinette interrupted before she could stop herself, “Things have been… well, things have been pretty stressful lately.” _ Understatement. _ “I should be back to normal soon,” _ Liar. _“I just… need some time to myself, you know?”

“Oh.” Alya said awkwardly, “Well, I’m glad to hear it.” She immediately winced, “I _ mean, _ I’m glad to hear that you’ll be _ better, _ not that you’re-” 

“I _ get it.” _ Marinette said bluntly, “Are things going well with you?”

  
  
“About as well as I could hope.” Alya laughed it off, “Lila and I managed to get our project done, so I’ve just got studying left.”

_ “Right.” _ Marinette managed to conceal her _ contempt _ at the mention of the Italian girl. “Good luck with that, Chloe and I still need to get some work done too.” She shook her head, “Which _ of course _ probably means that I’ll be stuck in the library all morning with her again…” She mimed shooting herself, trying to defuse the situation.

Alya was not amused.

**********

“We need to talk.”

“What is there to talk about?” Adrien shrugged Plagg’s statement off, as he set his school bag down on his desk. Fencing practice was starting fairly soon, and he was going over to Marinette’s right after that. He didn’t exactly have time for another heart-to-heart with Plagg, no matter how much they might need it.

After everything that had happened with Ladybug and Kagami last night… waking up to the entire mansion _ shaking _ from Plagg’s rage was the _ last _ thing Adrien had expected. Adrien had of course rushed over as quickly as he could, but he didn’t _ dare _ interrupt the kwami’s angry rant. Unfortunately, that had lead to Adrien hearing _ several _ things that he clearly wasn’t supposed to, and some things he could’ve done without _ ever _hearing.

_ Lily. _ One of the previous Black Cat superheroes. Apparently, her fate had been less than pleasant, and Plagg had been forced to witness it. To say that the story made Adrien feel _ uncomfortable _ was an understatement. To some degree, he’d _ always _ known that being Chat Noir was a dangerous job, but he’d never _ imagined _ it ending in that much gore… 

“I owe you another apology…” Plagg said softly, prompting Adrien to pause, “I _ swear _ that I didn’t know Wayzz would want to take back the ring-”

“And if you _ had?” _ Adrien questioned, “Wouldn’t it be your _ duty _ to get me to confess anyway?”

Adrien somewhat regretted the question. After all, the last time somebody had questioned Plagg’s loyalty to his chosen… Adrien still hadn’t _ completely _ repaired the mess. He’d managed to get all of his movies and video games back on the shelves without much trouble, but Nathalie had needed to call in auxiliary staff to clean up the wreckage of the foosball table and piano Nathalie had also said that a specialist might be needed to investigate whether or not his upper level was still _ stable, _ and he needed to stay off of it for a while.

Fortunately, making an excuse wasn’t hard, since Nathalie had _ of course _ felt the building shaking as well. There was no seismic activity on record, leading Nathalie to speculate that something must be wrong with the building’s foundation. She clearly had _ no idea _ what had happened, and looked genuinely afraid about it.

Seeing that side of Plagg was _ new, _ to say the least. Adrien had always been aware that Plagg was dangerous… at least on some level. After all, any creature that granted the power of _ Cataclysm _ was probably somebody you didn’t want to tangle with. But to see him like _ that, _ bubbling with immeasurable ancient power… Adrien was honestly still a bit afraid of him, even though kwamis couldn’t directly harm humans.

“My duty is to _ you.” _ Plagg said immediately, a somewhat aggressive edge to his voice, “Not to Wayzz, or anybody else.”

“Is that every kwami’s take on it, or just yours?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Plagg said, “Because it’s what _ I’m _ going to do. I don’t care what anybody else says about it.”

To hear Plagg so openly affectionate was a bit jarring. The cat kwami hadn’t mentioned his cheese in what felt like _ ages, _ and his playful tendencies seemed to have _ vanished. _ Gone were the days that Plagg might steal his socks, or mock him for being scared of Marinette’s dad (not that he was or anything). Now, it felt like their only conversations were painfully _ morbid. _ And now, Adrien was forced to wonder if Plagg was usually so aloof as a coping mechanism of sorts for all of the awful things he’d seen over the years…

Either way, Adrien appreciated the sentiment. He couldn’t hold back a warm smile as he looked back at his little companion.

“I appreciate it, buddy.” Adrien said, but allowed himself a smirk, “But I can’t imagine that Tikki would ever engulf my room in a cloud of destruction, would she?”

“Oh, _ can it.” _ Plagg rolled his eyes, “Your father can afford to finance a few of my temper tantrums… not _ many, _ granted, but definitely a few.”

“Nathalie was absolutely _ floored _ by how this room looked.” Adrien said, shaking his head in embarrassment, “I had _ no idea _ how to convince her that it made sense for all the damage to be in my room only…” He sighed, as he looked over at where his foosball table had once sat, “She must think I destroyed that thing in a fit of teenage angst.”

“And you haven’t even _ seen _ my ultimate form…”   
  


“Your _ what?” _ Adrien blinked.

“What?”

**********

Hearing only _ half _ of a conversation made Nathalie’s job a lot harder.

Had Adrien transformed, and _ then _ laid waste to his bedroom? If so, why had he done it no less than two _ hours _ after returning from his meeting with Ladybug? Nathalie had _ tried _ to look over the footage from her bedroom cameras… but whatever happened in there, her surveillance equipment hadn’t survived it. Nathalie had _ fortunately _ already listened to the audio of Adrien’s argument with his kwami upon returning (at least Adrien’s lines), but she had no idea what happened after that.

There was clearly a very _ large _ piece of the puzzle that was still missing here. Nathalie’s only _ slightly _ plausible theory was the maybe Adrien’s kwami… _ Plagg, _ had unleashed his power without Adrien transforming. After all, Nathalie sincerely doubted that Adrien had the necessary knowledge of the Black Cat’s power to rattle the entire mansion like that.

_ “I think there must’ve been an earthquake!” _ Adrien had exclaimed when Nathalie rushed to his room, but the assistant knew him well enough that his over-acting was apparent.

“Miss Nathalie?” A high-pitched voice caught Nathalie’s attention, “Are you all right?”

Duussu was floating next to Nathalie’s head, regarding her with something resembling _ concern. _ After all, Nathalie had been deep in thought for what must’ve been several minutes at this point, prompting the Peacock-themed creature to worry. Nathalie was sitting at Mr. Agreste’s desk, and was _ supposed _ to be reading a preliminary statement for stockholders of the _ Gabriel _ brand. Granted, in Mr. Agreste’s absence, Nathalie was her own boss, so there would be no consequences for laziness, but it was still a bad habit to get into.

“I’m _ fine.” _ Nathalie said tightly, and resumed typing her comments onto the document.

_ “Awesome!” _ Duussu said gleefully, and began to fly around the office at a distractingly high speed, prompting Nathlie to suppress a sigh.

Duussu’s appearances were rare, given the state of the Peacock pin, and Nathalie had learned to be _ grateful _ for that fact. The blue kwami was _ disgustingly _ bubbly and cheerful at all times… traits that Nathalie actively avoided channeling at all costs. But even stranger than her personality, Duussu seemed remarkable _ stupid _ for an ancient being, leading Nathalie to wonder if the damage to her Miraculous was impairing her mental activity. She was unintelligent to the point that she often forgot where she was, or what Nathalie was hoping to accomplish.

Fortunately, Gabriel had found a way to prevent the Peacock pin from harming Nathalie directly, making its usage safe. But even with the patchwork Gabriel had given her Miraculous, Mayura was in no position to fight Ladybug or Chat Noir. She could traverse safely, create sentimonsters, and even battle enemies to a point, but the damage prevented her from reaching her full potential in the way Hawkmoth had.

It was the reason Nathalie _ needed _ to win Adrien over, as unlikely as that was starting to look.

Chat Noir’s relationship with Ladybug had splintered, that much was clear. Unfortunately, that had happened _ after _ Chat Noir told Ladybug about his compromised position, making Nathalie’s path forwards far more uncertain. There was a real chance that if Mayura approached him again, Ladybug and her allies could be nearby for an ambush. And without her surveillance equipment, Nathalie had no way of knowing exactly _ how much _ Chat Noir had shared with his partner.

_ No. _ She decided. Approaching Adrien again would be far too risky. At the very least, Nathalie would need to find another _ way _ of getting to him. Using Marinette as leverage was a distinct possibility, but Ladybug could be guarding her as well…

Her thought process was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone.

“Gabriel?” She picked up immediately, “Is everything alright?”

_ “Alright?” _ Gabriel’s voice echoed, and Nathalie braced herself for a rant, _ “Nathalie… everything is fantastic!” _

“Fantastic?” She echoed, blinking in surprise, “What do you-”

_ “My Miraculous!” _ Gabriel all but _ shouted _ in excitement, _ “Nathalie, I’ve purged it! The Butterfly Miraculous is working again as it should be!” _

Nathalie froze, nearly dropping her cell phone. Gabriel had… _ no, _he couldn’t have. If he’d managed to purify his Miraculous, then that meant-

_ “I’ll be heading back to Paris as soon as Adrien completes his visit.” _ Gabriel continued, despite Nathalie’s lack of a reply, _ “If all goes well… I should be able to ride back with him.” _ He paused, clearly considering something, _ “Actually… do you think- no, that would definitely make him and his girlfriend uncomfortable, wouldn’t it? Perhaps I could rent a second vehicle, and hire another driver… Nathalie?” _

“I don’t- I wouldn’t know sir.” Nathalie said stiffly, her mind still racing, “Just let me know if you need me to book you anything.”

She _ couldn’t _ allow this! Nathalie had to find a way to stall him, and formulate a plan to bring back Emilie before his return. She cursed herself silently; Nathalie had just been given three entire _ months _ to execute a plan, and had _ squandered _ it. If Gabriel returned, then there was virtually no way she’d be able to continue with her plan. Nathalie needed more time… perhaps there was a way she could convince him to stay down south a little longer? _ No, _ he hated his parents. She was lucky his trip had gone on for as long as it had.

Was there _ anything _ that could sour his mood? Anything that might make him not _ want _ to return to Paris? _ Anything? _

_ “Thank you, Nathalie.” _ Gabriel said, and she could recognize the sincerity in his voice, _ “It really does mean a lot to me… you’ve done a fantastic job tending to the company in my absence, and taking care of my son. I just hope Adrien can find it in his heart to forgive me…” _

Nathalie _ gasped, _ realizing that there was a very simple, if morally questionable way of ensuring Gabriel lose his newfound confidence… It wasn't quite as maniacal as he last idea (threatening Marinette), but this was something Nathalie could actually _do..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of free time today, so don't get used to daily updates lol.


	12. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has her first good day in a while...

“Seriously…” Alya said, finally breaking the silence between them, “You know you can tell me what’s stressing you out… _ right?” _

“I appreciate the offer.” Marinette said with a nervous and clearly forced laugh, “...but I think I’ll be okay.”

The two of them stared at each other across the table in awkward silence. Alya was still waiting for the barista to call her name, while Marinette sipped on the water she’d bought. Alya had _ insisted _ that they sit down for coffee together, and seemed to be growing more and more concerned the more Marinette insisted that things were going to be fine. It was _ strange, _ seeing this side of Alya again, after spending months apart.

“I know we haven’t been in touch…” Alya said hesitantly, and Marinette braced herself, “But I’ve gotta say: you don’t _ look _ like you’re going to be fine.”

“What makes you say that?” Marinette feigned nonchalance, but was internally cringing.

“The way you’re dodging every question about your well-being.” Alya retorted, fixing Marinette with an unamused expression.

Honestly, Alya’s concern was rubbing Marinette the wrong way. After all this time without saying _ anything, _ no matter how well-deserved it might be, did Alya _ really _ have the right to just approach her out of the blue like this? Was Marinette supposed to interpret this as genuine concern, or was it just Alya’s way of trying to move on?

“Well…” Marinette said, weighing her words, “It’s really none of your business, is it?”

“Oh, _ don’t _ give me that.” Alya rolled her eyes, “Three months since we’ve spoken, and not even an _ apology?” _

“Does it really matter?”

“Of _ course _ it matters.” Alya snapped, but took a calming breath, “Marinette… what you said to me that day _ hurt. _ But if you’re willing to move past it…” Marinette arched an eyebrow in surprise. 

“I miss my friend.” Alya said, and there was no malice to be found in her tone or expression. There was just… _ hurt, _ “So, will you _ please _ tell me what’s bothering you? You haven’t been yourself, and even _ Nino _ noticed it. I’m really starting to worry about you girl…”

_ She misses me? _ Marinette found that somewhat hard to believe. After all, Marinette had turned Alya away in her time of need. After Ladybug had taken a rant _ way _ too far, Marinette had allowed that anger to carry over. And because of the secrets that _ Marinette _ was keeping for Alya, the girl couldn’t understand _ why _ Marinette had been so upset. And if Marinette couldn’t keep her two lives separate… it was only going to hurt the people around her.

“Alya?” The barista called from the counter, but Marinette’s companion didn’t even flinch. Instead, Alya just stared at Marinette, waiting for her response.

Then again… what would refusing to say anything accomplish? Denying the charge that something was wrong was only going to upset Alya even more. At worst, she might even talk to Adrien or her parents about it, which would get even _ more _ people on her case. Maybe, Marinette should give her a few basic details about the situation with Chat Noir to appease her. She could change a few names, keep a few things vague… it might just work.

Because, in truth, Marinette missed Alya too. And given the way that Tikki and Wayzz demanded _ strict _ adherence to the rules… Marinette could use somebody else’s perspective, _ especially _ when she could trust that person to actually _ see _ the situation from Marinette’s perspective, and not just dismiss her problems as less important than the greater good.

“I… I had an argument.” Marinette said quietly, and Alya tilted her head in intrigue.

“Was it with _ Adrien?” _ Alya inquired, and Marinette shook her head.

“It was with this guy I work with.” Marinette said, and scrambled her mind to think of some more fictitious details, “My parents… they hired him part-time in the bakery. The two of us usually end up working together when my mom and dad are busy.”

She cringed internally, as this story could be disproven fairly easily. After all, the Dupain-Cheng bakery didn’t employ _ anybody _ besides family members in the back. The closest thing to it was the occasional cashier her parents would hire during _ really _ busy periods. Fortunately, Alya _ probably _ wasn’t aware of these specific details, but it still made Marinette uncomfortable.

“I see.” Alya nodded thoughtfully, “This boy… he’s your friend, I take it?”

_ “Definitely.” _ Marinette agreed, “I obviously take the lead at work, since I’m more experienced with baking, but I trust him with _ tons _ of stuff.”

“Now, this is just a shot in the dark…” Alya said hesitantly, “But is there any chance that this boy sees you as a bit more than just a friend?”

“Well…” Marinette hesitated, “I think he _ used _ to feel that way.”

“You shut him down?”

_ Damn. _ Marinette winced at Alya’s deduction. It really was a _ miracle _ that Alya hadn’t ever figured out Ladybug’s secret identity, given just how _ easily _ she could read Marinette. Marinette was going to need to choose her words more carefully, to make sure she didn’t give away any more unnecessary details.

“Yeah I did.” Marinette agreed, “...but it’s a _ lot _ more complicated than just that.” Alya just arched an amused eyebrow.

“Has he been butthurt about it?” Alya interrogated, “Mopey? Angsty? All-around difficult?”

“Well _ yeah, _ but I mean-”

“So he’s immature, and _ hopefully _ didn’t realize you have a boyfriend.” Alya said dismissively, like this was nothing particularly unusual to her, “He’s clearly not used to getting rejected, and he’s taking it out on you.” She gave Marinette a sympathetic smile, “I know… it’s hard to deal with a guy like that, _ especially _ when you actually want him as your friend.” Alya’s smile vanished, _ “Double especially _ when he actually works with you. That’s just-”

“That’s not what’s getting between us right now.” Marinette interrupted hastily, “I turned him down a long time ago, and I think we’ve put that behind us pretty well…”

Chat Noir _ definitely _ didn’t feel that way anymore. If anything, he was ashamed that he had, given the way he’d been treating her. If Chat Noir still loved her… he _ definitely _ wouldn’t have kept that big of a secret from her. He _ definitely _ would have agreed to revealing identities when she’d suggested it. That old crush of his wasn’t _ irrelevant, _ but it definitely wasn’t the source of the current strife.

And as much as that would _ probably _ make things easier for them in the long run, Marinette still couldn’t help but feel like she’d lost something very dear to her.

_ “...oh.” _ Alya blinked, “I mean… how long has he worked at the bakery?”

“A good while.” Marinette said, not wanting to commit to a specific time, “I turned him down _ before _ I started dating Adrien, actually.”

It took Marinette a moment to process the sudden surge of emotions on Alya’s face. But the sudden shock on her face made sense when Marinette realized that her timeline had a bit of an _ error _ in it… after all, her fight with Alya had been at roughly the same time Marinette and Adrien had started dating. This of course meant that-

“Some dude asked you out… and you didn’t tell your best friend!?” Alya exclaimed, staring at Marinette in disbelief.

“It’s not-” Marinette’s mind scrambled, as she struggled to think of a reasonable excuse, “I was afraid that, uh…” Alya gave her a blank look.

“You were _ afraid?” _

“I thought that you might try and get me to go out with _ him, _ since the whole Adrien thing wasn’t working out…” Marinette said sheepishly.

It wasn’t a _ complete _ lie. Marinette had considered telling Alya about Chat Noir’s advances more than once during their friendship. After all, Alya was her _ best friend. _ But aside from the potential identity concerns, Marinette had been afraid that Alya might try and persuade her to give up on Adrien in favor of this mystery boy. 

“This boy,” Alya said quietly, “Do you feel anything for him?”

“I have a _ boyfriend.” _ Marinette said reflexively, and Alya didn’t dignify it with a response.

After all, Alya’s question really was a difficult one… Given the way that Chat Noir had moved on, and Marinette had _ finally _ managed to catch Adrien’s attention, it wasn’t like it could amount to anything anymore, so she _ supposed _ it was safe to think about… 

Chat Noir, as annoying as he could be, was _ definitely _ attractive. He rivalled Adrien in the looks department, and had a similar sense of humor, even if it was _ way _ over the top in comparison. His devotion to Ladybug had been a bit off putting, but still _ admirable _ in a way. He had proven on more than one occasion that it was more than just words; Chat Noir hadn’t hesitated to throw down his life for hers.

_ You mean he used to. _ Marinette sighed as she remembered the current predicament. Alya had absolutely nailed it: Chat Noir was _ immature. _ While he later apologized for it, he’d still been bratty when Ladybug turned him down. He didn’t seem to take the job as seriously as she did, and his carelessness had gotten him into trouble more than once.

This was all ignoring the way he had been treating her during the last few months, since the battle with the Reaper.

“I don’t have feelings for him…” Marinette said, but hesitated, “At least, I can’t _ justify _ anything I feel.” Alya arched an eyebrow, and Marinette let out a frustrated _ sigh _ at how contradictory her statements sounded, “He’s immature, like you said… he doesn’t take his job as seriously as he should.” Marinette shook her head, “Honestly… he’s not good for me. He’s _ cute, _ but Adrien’s got him beat everywhere else.”

“Everywhere _ else?” _ Alya blinked, “That means… he’s better looking than _ Adrien!?” _

“I didn’t say that.”

“Girl, your boyfriend is a literal _ supermodel.” _ Alya said flatly, giving Marinette her signature _ no nonsense _ look, “The fact that you would even _ consider _ it means his body must be God’s gift to womankind!” Marinette immediately blushed, but Alya wasn’t finished, “And that’s ignoring the fact that I’m hearing this from _ you, _ Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The girl that literally _ stalked _ Adrien to learn his schedule. If _ you _ actually think that they’re close…” Alya shook her head in awe, clearly envisioning the feat.

“I told you this would happen.” Marinette shook her head, as her cheeks reddened, “And besides, I’m not the _ only _ one here with a boyfriend.”

“Calm down, girl.” Alya laughed, “I’m not about to leave Nino for some random bad boy at the bakery.” Her smile vanished, and was quickly replaced by a more serious expression, “And _ besides, _ if you don’t want to be with him, I would _ never _ try and get you to do it. _ Especially _ if he’s as bad an influence as you say.”

“You make it sound like he’s selling drugs on the clock.” Marinette snorted, but was nonetheless touched by Alya’s sentiment, _ “Thanks, _ by the way.”

But what should’ve been a tender moment instead filled Marinette with _ sadness. _ Both at reminiscing about the old days with Chat Noir, and just how much Marinette _ missed _ conversations like this. It really had been _ ages _ since the two of them had sat down and talked about something so normal, like attractive boys or coffee shops… Marinette was quickly filled with an uncontrollable sense of _ loss, _ as she wondered whether or not she could reclaim such goods times. 

“No problem.” Alya said with a warm smile, but she quickly frowned, “You’d think they’d have my coffee ready by now…”

“Oh, right.” Marinette shifted, “I think they actually called your name a few minutes ago…”

“Of _ course _ they did.” Alya sighed, and spotted the cup in question sitting on the counter, completely unattended, “It’s probably cold by now though…”

Honestly, Alya’s words _ had _ helped. Marinette could say that she was in a much better mood now than she’d been in what felt like _ ages. _

“I’m sorry.” Marinette said awkwardly.

“Eh, I should’ve been listening-”

“Not that.” Marinette said, and Alya’s brow furrowed.

“Oh… you mean _ that.” _ Alya paused, regarding Marinette with a quizzical look.

_ Too late to turn back now. _ Marinette had committed to the apology now. At this point, it was all up to how Alya received it. If she was _ really _ willing to put it behind her, if she _ really _ cared about Marinette’s apology… could this be the spark that rekindled their friendship? Marinette didn’t _ dare _ hope for it, but it really would be nice…

“The way I treated you…” Marinette chose her words carefully, “It was really-”

_ “-shitty.” _ Alya finished, and Marinette cringed.

“Yeah…” Marinette all but whispered, “That’s the word for it…”

“Well, you heard what I said.” Alya said thoughtfully, and surprisingly stuck out her hand for the raven-haired girl to shake, “If you’re willing to move past all of that…”

“I’m willing!” Marinette said, and wasn’t able to stop herself from _ embracing _her friend, leaping right past her extended arm.

**********

“I think you’ll be happy to hear about what happened today…” Marinette said cheerfully.

“Oh?” Adrien blinked, almost failing to process his girlfriend’s words as he sat down next to her on the Dupain-Cheng family couch. Marinette had guided him there _ immediately _ as they’d entered, and he couldn’t help but wonder how they were supposed to _ study _ without a table to work on. Fortunately, they weren't likely to get in the way of anybody, as neither of Marinette's parents seemed to be home anyways. It wasn't _ideal_ for their study date, but Adrien supposed that anytime spent with Marinette was time well spent.

_ Oh well. _ At least the couch was more comfortable than the dining room table.

He’d just finished fencing practice half an hour ago, and was honestly _ exhausted, _ both physically and mentally. Kagami had insisted on talking “strategy” the entire time, recommending various different strategies for keeping his ring safe, after Adrien had assured her that there was nothing to report about Ladybug. Kagami was _ right, _ it was something he needed to worry about, and there was no tactful way of saying he wasn’t in the mood for it.

“I don’t want to get _ too _ optimistic.” Marinette said cautiously, “But Alya and I actually _ talked _ today! I apologized for everything that happened, and she really seemed to listen to me!”

“Wait.” Adrien blinked in surprise, “You mean-”

“Yep!” Marinette said gleefully, flopping back on the couch triumphantly, “It took long enough, but things might _ finally _ be making a turn for the better between us!”

“Marinette…” Adrien said after a pause, “That’s _ fantastic!” _

And he really meant it. Before their most recent argument, Adrien had _ strongly _ considered asking Ladybug to recruit Rena Rouge and the other backup heroes to help keep Marinette safe. While Adrien didn’t _ seriously _ think Alya would forsake her duty because of the strife between the two girls, it was still one less thing to worry about.

“I know!” She said happily, and put a hand on his wrist, offering him one of the warmest smiles he’d seen from her, _ “Thanks… _ by the way.”

“Uh…” Adrien said elegantly, his mind numbing from the sudden physical contact from his attractive girlfriend, “You’re… welcome?”

“You’ve been encouraging me to make amends this whole time.” Marinette graciously explained, and there was a certain _devious _look in her eyes that Adrien found himself not quite trusting, “And while _ she _ was the one to approach _ me, _ I still really appreciate it.”

“Anytime.” Adrien said with a comforting nod, losing himself in her eyes just a bit…

He felt sad, as he realized just how much time he’d been _ wasting _ lately. Chat Noir had been picking needless fights with Ladybug, and Adrien had spent countless _ hours _ agonizing over both that and Mayura’s threats. Adding in the new dilemma with Plagg’s old chosen, and his recent advice from Kagami… Adrien hadn’t been making time for what _ really _ mattered; Marinette had been there for him all this time, gracious despite his faults, and Adrien was still yet to figure out what he’d done to deserve it. How had he _ ever _ thought that Ladybug was the right person for him, when this girl had _ always _ been right in front of him? 

But even more discomforting was Adrien’s immediate _ nausea _ at the thought of his girlfriend ending up in harm’s way because of _ his _ actions. He found himself more glad that _ ever _ that she’d be coming with him when he left Paris this weekend.

He _ almost _ didn’t notice as her lips seemed to be getting closer-

_ “Ouch!” _ They both said in unison as Adrien _ flinched, _ causing their foreheads to immediately bump into each other.

“I’m so _ sorry!” _ Marinette said as she frantically rubbed her forehead, and her cheeks were completely flushed. Adrien couldn’t imagine that his were in a much better state.

“It’s okay!” Adrien said, and blinked as he struggled to fully process what had happened, “I mean… it was my fault, I should’ve been ready-”

_ “No!” _ She exclaimed, reminding Adrien of her classic outbursts “I mean… I should’ve asked before I tried to… oh my _ gosh, _ I just tried to-”

“-to kiss me?” For some reason, seeing her as much of a mess of him was enough to renew his confidence, and he allowed himself a Chat Noir level _ smirk, _“It’s a shame, really… I’m sure it would’ve been nice-”

Adrien was stopped mid-sentence, as his blushing girlfriend pounced on him with a look so _ wild _ that he was briefly concerned for his safety. 

And as the two of them began to, as Plagg would put it, “eat each other’s faces,” Adrien quickly realized that there wasn’t probably wasn’t going to be much _ studying _ this evening, and there was probably a reason his girlfriend hadn’t opted for the dining room table… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my first time writing a scene like that last one, so let me know what you thought of it!


	13. Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where the author tries her hand at another fluffy scene. She probably should've stuck with angst...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter today, so apologies on that!

Nathalie stared into the mirror, unimpressed by what she saw.

She looked _frightened,_ to put it mildly. Despite her usual veneer of dispassion, Nathalie found herself downright terrified of what she was going to do. And if she was to have any _prayer _of succeeding, she needed to maintain her composure at all costs. A breakdown at this point would be costly at best, _fatal_ at worst. After all, Nathalie was reasonably confident that _Cataclysm_ was an attack she wouldn't be coming back from... 

It all came down to _tonight._ If she didn't act quickly, Gabriel would return to Paris within the week and dash _any_ chance she had at achieving her goal. Emilie would be lost _forever,_ and Nathalie would never be able to forgive herself. This was her _last_ chance, and she had to take it. Regardless of the risks, it was time to _act._

"Duusu..." Nathalie said softly, _"Spread my feathers."_

**********

Tikki and Plagg were silent, facing each other with identical looks of caution and determination.

Since their wielders had become…  _ occupied, _ the two of them had seized the  _ clear _ opportunity to sneak in a quick conversation. It was something that they  _ desperately _ needed, as Tikki and Plagg hadn’t been able to speak since Chat Noir revealed the details of his situation to Ladybug. Plagg had of course spoken with Wayzz the previous night, but that conversation had been nothing short of a total disaster. It was clear to all three kwamis that the  _ only _ way they might reach any sort of agreement was if Plagg was allowed to speak with his only true  _ equal. _

It was for that reason that Wayzz had agreed to stay out of the way. Tikki was fairly certain he was sitting on the roof now, perhaps reading one of Marinette’s old novels, while Tikki and Plagg stayed inside on Marinette’s bed.

“So…” Tikki said, trying to sound upbeat, “It’s nice that Marinette and Adrien are getting along!”

“Until there’s a bunch of kitten-bugs running around.”

“They’re not-” Tikki started, but caught herself. After all, getting mad at Plagg’s sarcasm wasn’t going to accomplish anything, “They aren’t going  _ that _ far.”

“Give it time.” Plagg said cryptically, “They might want to enjoy themselves while they can still stand the sight of each other.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that their relationship is skating on  _ extremely _ thin ice.” Plagg said, as he absently fidgeted with one of Marinette’s stuffed animals, “Ladybug and Chat Noir… they’re not on speaking terms. Their partnership is going through a level of strife we haven’t seen between our wielders in  _ decades.” _ Tikki could see where he was going, “All the while, Adrien and Marinette are getting even closer. When that barrier between their superhero and civilian lives collapses, which is  _ always _ does eventually… it’s going to be an ugly crash.”

Tikki took a moment to ponder his words. If Marinette and Adrien kept getting closer outside of their masks, would that really make things  _ harder _ for Ladybug and Chat Noir? Personally, Tikki didn’t think so. In her mind, the closer the two of them got, and the more positive their relationship, the  _ better _ things would eventually be.

But the red kwami had to sigh, as she realized that it really didn’t matter, given what she had promised Wayzz she would do...

“They won’t “crash” if we take care of things  _ now.” _ Tikki said, and Plagg gave her a truly nasty look in return.

“And by “take care of things” you mean taking back my ring, don’t you?”

Tikki had been dreading this all day. Wayzz had described Plagg’s  _ episode _ last night in great detail, and she had no interest in recreating it. That being said, Tikki was the  _ only _ being in the universe that Plagg might consider listening to on this matter. She  _ had _ to convince him that having Adrien give up the Miraculous was the right thing to do… and that it would actually  _ help  _ Adrien in the long run. As it stood, Plagg clearly thought it was just a stupid rule.

“Leaving your ring with Adrien isn’t  _ safe.” _ Tikki said confidently, “As soon as Hawkmoth and Mayura figure out that he doesn’t have it anymore, I’m sure-”

“You’re either lying or  _ stupid _ if you actually believe that.” Plagg challenged, not even allowing Tikki to finish her sentence. “They’ll  _ capture _ him. They’ll pump him for information, and ask him about things he hasn’t been trusted with.” Plagg shook his head in frustration, “I can’t put my chosen through something like that… I just  _ can’t.” _

This was the most delicate situation of them all. Wayzz, in a stroke of social incompetence, had brought up one of Plagg’s former chosen:  _ Lily. _ The  _ agony _ that the poor girl had been put through by her captors… Plagg hadn’t been the same ever since. He’d been more  _ detached, _ taking up cheese and sarcasm of ways of avoiding his grief. The two of them had only spoken about it a handful of times, and only briefly at that.

“Listen…” Tikki said cautiously, “I  _ know _ you’re worried about Adrien ending up like Lily, but I’m  _ sure _ we can-”   


“Please  _ don’t.” _ Plagg interrupted with a sigh. He’d clearly been  _ dreading _ this part of their conversation all day, “I know you mean well… but I  _ really _ don’t want to talk about her.”

He still seemed on edge about the topic. Tikki had grown to know Plagg better than  _ anyone _ over the centuries; if she pushed him further, he might snap again. And considering that Lily’s fate wasn’t  _ technically _ important to this conversation, it was probably for the best that Tikki honored his request, and just left the subject alone. Bringing up a topic that was just going to make the two of them argue wasn’t worth it.

“Okay…” Tikki said, scrambling to think of a way to convince him, “But leaving that ring with Adrien is still too risky. If he doesn’t hand it over soon, they’ll just  _ take _ it.”

“They haven’t done it yet.”

“-a fact I’m very suspicious of.” Tikki said, and Plagg tilted his head. “Why hasn’t Hawkmoth taken that ring yet?”

The timeline… it had caught Tikki’s attention from the moment Chat Noir told Ladybug about his exposed identity. If Mayura had really learned Adrien’s identity _three months_ _ago,_ then why hadn’t she and Hawkmoth already attacked? An akumatized villain, or even Mayura and Hawkmoth themselves could overpower him _easily_ if they tried for it. And that was assuming that they didn’t just take it while Adrien was sleeping. Tikki had a nagging feeling that she was missing a _huge_ piece of the puzzle here, which made it all the more important that they get the ring to safety.

“Mayura… I think her plan is a  _ bit _ more complicated than you think.” Plagg said quietly, and Tikki immediately sensed discomfort in his voice.

“Complicated?” She echoed, and Plagg seemed to  _ squirm. _

“Yeah…” He said, and wouldn’t make eye contact, “It was a couple nights ago, after Adrien had dinner with Marinette’s parents…”

“Go on.” Tikki frowned, not sure where he was going with this.

“We came back to his room, and I was doing my usual teasing, but something was off.” Plagg recalled, suddenly interested in Marinette’s gigantic cat pillow, “It turns out… we weren’t alone.”

Tikki’s frown became more and more pronounced as the story continued.

**********

“Well… that was  _ something.” _ Adrien said, still trying to catch his breath.

“That’s one word for it…” Marinette said uncomfortably, staring intently at her feet.

The two of them were back in an upright position, both of their faces completely flushed. Neither partner seemed willing to look the other in the eye, as the sheer  _ awkwardness _ of the situation finally set in. For as long as the two of them had been dating now, this was still a big step forward for them. A step Marinette couldn’t pretend she hadn’t been looking forward to, but still a big step nonetheless. Marinette blushed an even deeper red as she remembered just how  _ aggressively _ she’d approached the situation, taking Adrien completely off guard. 

He probably thought she was some kind of  _ weirdo, _ didn’t he? Marinette had taken it too far, too fast, and he probably  _ hated _ it. Their kisses had been sloppy, and she’d ended up stopping to apologize more times than she could  _ count. _ In fact-

“It was good though… right?” Adrien asked hopefully, and Marinette finally managed to look him in the eye.

Adrien’s hair was now far  _ messier _ than when they’d arrived,  _ probably _ because his girlfriend had tackled him onto the couch mid-sentence. His cheeks were still flushed, and he looked  _ completely _ out of his depth in this situation. The nervousness on his face was downright  _ comical, _ and it was in that moment Marinette realized her boyfriend was just as worried as she was. His eyes were filled with caution, and he seemed to be almost  _ cringing _ at his own question.

It took Marinette a quick moment to realize that her boyfriend’s question meant that he’d actually  _ enjoyed _ their makeout session, as  _ dumbfounding _ as that possibility was.

Marinette’s cheeks reddened yet again, as she considered his question. She had  _ definitely _ enjoyed herself, and the realization that he’d actually liked it too was beyond comforting. It was like Alya had said: Marinette’s boyfriend was a literal  _ supermodel, _ and he definitely had the looks to justify that career path. In all honesty, Marinette wouldn’t have any real objections to 

“It was good.” Marinette said shyly, and couldn’t help but smile at the  _ immediate _ relief on his face.

It was comforting to see that she wasn’t alone in her awkwardness. Adrien was clearly just as concerned about winning  _ her  _ approval as she was with winning his. Marinette felt even  _ better _ to realize that Adrien’s nerves meant that he probably hadn’t done this before, as petty as the sentiment was. He hadn’t made out with Kagami, or Lila, or Chloe… Adrien was spending his time with  _ Marinette,  _ and nobody else.

_ The boy is mine! _ She beamed, and had to stop herself from  _ squealing _ in excitement.

“Well that’s…  _ uh…” _ He stammered awkwardly, and Marinette’s smile only grew.

“-good?” Marinette finished, and they both found themselves giggling.

Could this day get any better? After her fight with Chat Noir last night, Marinette had been fully prepared for an  _ awful _ day. She was certain she’d agonize over every word of their brutal exchange, and every moment they spent together for the last  _ year. _ She’d probably have to skip first period again to work on the project with Chloe.Marinette was sure that Tikki and Wayzz were going to be worse than  _ ever, _ and harass her all day about how she was the worst Ladybug they’d ever seen, and how she was a selfish  _ bitch _ for spending time with her boyfriend...

But it didn't happen. Tikki and Wayzz had been almost completely  _ silent, _ giving Marinette the space that she  _ desperately _ needed. She had been too tired to really worry about Chat Noir, and Chloe had actually finished her part of the project this time. Her relationship with Alya was actually heading in a good direction, and now this… 

“Though I must say…” Adrien gave her a devious smirk, I’ve been  _ warned _ about girls like you trying to take advantage of me.”

“Oh  _ please.” _ Marinette rolled her eyes, “Last time I checked, you were the one to ask me out-”

“-and you were the one luring me back to your den under the guise of wanting to  _ study.”  _ Adrien’s smirk seemed to grow.

“You’d have preferred a grammar review?”

“Not on your  _ life.” _ Adrien looked her straight in the eyes, and Marinette couldn’t stop her heart from beating faster.

But sadly, she had to put a firm hand on his chest as he leaned in for another kiss. As much as she’d  _ love _ to pick up where they left off, a quick glance at the clock confirmed that they couldn’t afford to waste anymore time. It was nearing dinner time, and Marinette’s parents were due to get back  _ soon. _

“Sorry…” Marinette said sheepishly, “But I think we better start actually  _ working, _ since you brought it up.”

“Oh?” Adrien’s face was filled with disappointment, “You do realize I was just teasing…  _ right?” _

“I mean, if you’d rather run the risk of my father walking in-” Marinette laughed as all the color drained out of her boyfriend’s face.

And as the two of them  _ rushed _ into the dining room to start studying, Marinette found herself unable to shake the smile off her face. To think that things could turn around so  _ quickly… _ it was astonishing, really. In the span of just a few hours, her life had gone from  _ completely miserable _ to downright  _ amazing…  _

If only she’d realized how quickly it could all be undone as well… 


	14. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel confuses his parents, while Adrien has a bad case of deja vu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the ridiculous wait, and I hope you like the new chapter.

“...Are you okay, Gabriel?” Edith Agreste broke the awkward silence that sat between the elder Agrestes and their son, as both mother and father gazed in awe at the basket Gabriel had brought back with him.

“I’m perfectly well.” Gabriel said curtly, regarding them with a blank expression, maintaining his grip on the basket, “What makes you think otherwise?”

“Well…” Edith said, blinking, “It’s just-”

“What in the  _ blazes  _ are you doing with those animals!?” David Agreste interrupted, gesturing wildly at the fluffy creatures resting peacefully inside of Gabriel’s basket.

_ “Quiet!” _ Gabriel hissed, “You’ll wake them!”

“They’ll be fine!” David snapped impatiently, “Since when have you  _ ever _ been a cat person!?”

Gabriel felt Nooroo snicker in his pocket, and Gabriel let out a somewhat embarrassed  _ sigh. _ His father wasn’t wrong: this was the sort of situation he’d have never expected to wind up in. He’d spent his entire childhood living in raw  _ fear _ of the neighbor’s large German Shepherd, and gotten so desperate to avoid having a pet that he faked a cat allergy to prevent Emilie from getting one years ago.

Still, Gabriel couldn’t just  _ leave _ them out there, especially after the mother cat had proven to be his first successful champion.

“They were cold!” Gabriel argued, “A man can hate cats without wanting them to  _ freeze.” _

“I’d have thought you were past the age where you try to bring stray animals home.” His mother interjected, letting out a surprisingly warm chuckle as she tilted the basket to get a better look at the soft creatures inside, “I can’t say I blame you though… they are  _ precious.” _

His parents had again intercepted him as he tried to sneak in through the sliding door. He had hoped to smuggle the cats inside past them without incident, but the two of them were apparently the lightest sleepers of all time. As far as Gabriel could tell, his parents hadn’t stirred from their reclining chairs since the last time he’d seen them. Gabriel figured that they  _ had _ to; after all, they had to eat, and the bathroom was all the way on the other side of the floor-

“Do you have any idea how to care for  _ one _ cat, much more… five?” David pressed, but his face also softened as he peered into the basket.

“There’s six, actually.” Gabriel corrected, before he could stop himself, “Tater-tot is under the sheet right now.”

“You… you’ve  _ named  _ them already?” Edith blinked, and Gabriel cringed.

_ “Tater-tot!?” _ David spluttered, “Who are you, and what have you done with our son!?”

“I didn’t-” Gabriel grit his teeth, silently cursing Nooroo for giving the little one such a  _ ridiculous  _ name, “That’s the only one I’ve named, so don’t go getting-”

“Does that mean we get to name the others?” Edith interrupted with newfound interest.

“No! I mean…” Gabriel faltered, unsure of what to say as his mother gently scooped up the tiny orange one, fortunately not waking the protective mother, “What are you-”

“Pumpkin?” She mused, “Or maybe Garfield-  _ Gumpkin?” _

“I-” Gabriel tried to interject, but his parents were apparently done listening to him.

“Edith, you  _ know _ we can’t take care of these feral beasts.” David chided.

“Oh, but look at them!” Edith protested, holding Pumpkin / Garfield up in front of the gray-haired man’s stern face, “Surely they can stay for at least a little while?”

The newly awakened feline and the somewhat crass old man stared into each other’s eyes, prompting silence from both Edith and Gabriel. From David: reservation and distrust. From the unnamed orange being: curiosity and awe. And just as Gabriel was about to break to speak up, the young feline reached a tiny paw out, resting it on David’s face.

The old man’s face softened.

“Excellent.” Gabriel decided to leave the basket with his parents, leaving them to gush over their new pets.

He walked quietly through the dark household, not even flipping a light switch until he marched up the stairs and locked the door to the large guest bedroom. It had been specifically designed for the possibility of Gabriel visiting this estate, presumably to help make funeral arrangements for the two of them. Unfortunately, the room was small, not meant to accommodate the busy fashion designer for more than a few days. He’d never imagined that he might end up here of his own free will for more than a week at the  _ absolute _ longest.

“Gabriel?” Nooroo emerged from the designer’s pocket.

“Nooroo.” Gabriel regarded his companion.

“You… you did it!” Nooroo said, excitement in his voice like Gabriel had never heard.

“Surprised?”

“Not at all!” Nooroo fluttered against Gabriel’s face, embracing him warmly, “I told you! Remember? I told you you could do it!”

“My work isn’t done yet.” Gabriel corrected the kwami, gently removing himself from the purple creature’s embrace to maintain dignity. He had to admit it felt nice though.

“How did it feel?” Nooroo demanded, “You saved that cat! She was going to freeze or starve out there, but you saved her  _ and _ the kittens!”

“In truth, I didn’t know what would happen.” He admitted, “I just sent her the butterfly, and hoped for the best.”

And instead of distorting the cat’s emotions, or corrupting its body, the butterfly had simply given the mother cat the ability to rescue her offspring. She’d  _ immediately _ returned to a healthy weight, and put off enough heat to warm herself and her litter. Soon after, Gabriel had used their mental link to guide her to his side, and quickly taken her back home. 

“The butterfly still resides within her.” Nooroo informed him, “It’s because of you that she’s not afraid of your parents right now, and has the proper instincts to stay where she’ll be safe.”

“I hope it stays that way.” Gabriel said softly.

To think that he’d be awake in the middle of the night, celebrating the rescue of a stray animal… Gabriel allowed himself a small smile. For the first time since he’d put down the mantle of Hawkmoth, he truly felt like things were changing.

Now, all that was left was to make amends with Adrien...

**********

“She was a bit more  _ aggressive _ than you expected, wasn’t she?” Plagg teased from inside Adrien’s shirt as the boy entered his bedroom, “I admit I fled the warzone before things got  _ really _ intense, but even I could tell that you were  _ way _ out of your depth, weren’t you  _ loverboy?” _ Plagg laughed at his own joke, phasing out of the shirt and over to Adrien’s desk, almost certainly checking in on his cheese supply.

“Marinette just  _ surprised  _ me.” Adrien shot back, closing the bedroom door and tossing his school bag onto his bed nonchalantly, “And besides… she’s clearly just as new at this stuff as I am.”

“Sure.” Plagg said, in a somewhat mocking voice, “I’ve had chosens  _ married _ at your age, you know. It wouldn’t hurt to at  _ least _ know your way around-”

“Shut up Plagg.” Adrien rolled his eyes, unbothered by his companion’s teasing, but quickly frowned,  _ “Wait. _ You didn’t  _ really _ leave me while we were at Marinette’s, did you?”

“You  _ really _ wanted me in your pocket offering live commentary?”

“Of course not.” Adrien sighed, “But you know you’re not supposed to be out roaming around.”

“Oh, spare me the lecture.” Plagg rolled his eyes disinterestedly, “Last time I checked, you haven’t exactly been following the letter of the law yourself, have you?”

“Fair enough.” Adrien said, not really in the mood to argue.

After all, Plagg going off on his own from time to time was unlikely to hurt anything. The kwami had proven time and time again that he would do  _ everything _ in his power to get back to Adrien if there was ever any danger, and he was yet to fail. There was also of course the  _ moral _ question of Adrien imposing his will on another sovereign creature,  _ especially _ in light of his own stifling childhood, but Adrien wasn’t even ready to have that conversation with himself yet, and  _ definitely _ not with Plagg.

Adrien allowed himself a small smile, however, as he began to rummage through his school bag. His  _ adventure  _ at the Dupain-Cheng bakery this afternoon had been a welcome diversion, on an otherwise  _ terrible  _ day. It went without saying that he was still reeling from his argument with Ladybug, along with a host of other stressors, including the threat Mayura had made towards Marinette in this very room.

He shook his head, momentarily pausing his search through the clutter of his school bag.

  
  


_ “Adrien!” _ Plagg’s voice hissed, and Adrien turned with a bit of a huff, not really in the mood to be bothered and  _ completely _ missing the cautionary note in the kwami’s voice.

“What is it?” Adrien asked, but frowned as he noticed that Plagg was staring past him.

“Sorry to intrude.” An unfortunately familiar voice sent  _ shivers _ down Adrien’s spine.

The boy whirled back around, his eyes confirming what his ears had detected: Plagg and Adrien weren’t alone in here. For the second time in a week,  _ Mayura _ stood at the window, apparently entering without a sound, as it wasn’t clear exactly how long she’d been there. It was an eerie feeling; her position was  _ exactly _ the same as her last visit. The Peacock wielder  _ clearly _ wasn’t deterred by the mansion’s security system, as she’d already proven on her last visit.

Adrien took a deep breath, calming himself. He couldn’t lose his cool again.

“No, come right on in. Make yourself at home.” Adrien said sarcastically, forcing some of Chat Noir’s trademark confidence into his voice, “It’s been a bit  _ lonely _ since your last visit. I’ve kinda missed you, to be honest. I  _ know _ Plagg has.”

_ “Adrien.” _ Plagg warned, a nervous look in his eyes as he looked between his chosen and the intruder, “Now’s not the time-”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Mayura said blankly, choosing to ignore Plagg, and reserving her gaze for Adrien alone, “We have much to discuss.”

_ “Like hell we do.” _ Adrien hissed, dropping the playful facade. “You’re lucky you’re  _ alive _ after what you said last time!”

“We have  _ nothing _ to say to you.” Plagg agreed, hovering over by Adrien’s head.

Mayura had brought up his mother. Mayura had threatened Marinette’s safety to his face. She was using her knowledge of his identity in one of the most painful ways Adrien could imagine: she brought up the most painful memory of his past, and didn’t hesitate to threaten the security of the present to extort him. He was tempted to transform now, and attack her like last time, but Adrien knew he had to be more careful.

“You won’t kill me.” Mayura shook her head, “And besides, my last visit involved a lot more than just  _ words.” _

“It involved running away, if I remember correctly.”

“You still have the photograph?” Mayura refused to acknowledge the empty taunt. It wasn’t like Adrien was in much of a position to threaten her anyway.

“What’s it matter?” Plagg challenged, before Adrien could answer.

“I  _ know _ you still have it.”

“It’s in my nightstand.” Adrien said, “But I don’t see what that has to do with…  _ anything, _ actually.”

“It has to do with  _ everything.” _ Adrien couldn’t help but notice Mayura’s entire body  _ tense, _ as though Adrien’s dismissal of the photograph actually angered the villain, “I’m sure you haven’t forgotten my offer?”

Adrien had speculated that it might come to this. The supervillain’s play was so painfully transparent that Adrien would have to be willfully blind to not pick up on it. Mayura would demand his Miraculous… and his help in acquiring Ladybug’s. In return, she was offering his mother.

And Adrien would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that the offer was tempting… or at least the benefits were. He hadn’t seen his mother in  _ ages, _ something that had left no small impact on his psyche. The Agreste Mansion had always been a somewhat dark and dreary place. But Emilie Agreste’s departure took away one of the few bright lights it had. The chance to see her again… Adrien would be willing to give almost anything for it.

_ Almost anything. _

“It’s  _ never  _ going to happen.” Adrien snapped. “I won’t help you. Not now… not  _ ever!” _ Adrien took a deep breath,  _ “Claws out!”  _ Plagg was quickly sucked into the Miraculous, as the power of destruction coursed through him.

“Of course you’ll help me.” Mayura challenged, unfazed by his transformation. She gestured around the massive bedroom, still in shambles from Plagg’s outburst. “Adrien, I  _ know _ you’re tired of this! You want more than this empty house!”

Adrien blinked, surprised to hear Mayura this openly  _ passionate. _ After all, the supervillain normally maintained neutrality in her expression to the point of concern.

“You don’t know me.” Adrien shook his head, not allowing her outburst to unbalance him, “I’m not that  _ selfish.” _

Mayura recoiled; it was as if Chat Noir had reached out and  _ slapped  _ her. Were Mayura not an evil mastermind hell-bent on stealing the Miraculous and claiming absolute power… Adrien would feel like he should be apologizing, as he took no pleasure in creating the type of raw  _ hurt _ he saw in his opponent’s usually lifeless eyes.

_ “...selfish?” _ And just like that, the hurt in Mayura’s eyes vanished, replaced with a cool anger that was equally unsettling.

“The power comes at a cost.” Chat Noir warned, praying that he could convince Mayura that it wasn’t  _ worth  _ it. “If you wish for something like my mother’s return, or anybody that  _ you _ want to bring back… balance has to be maintained.”

It was one of the few things Ladybug had bothered to explain to him, actually. If somebody fused the two strongest Miraculous, they would wield an unparalleled power. Literally  _ anything _ was within their reach… any wish could be granted. Bringing somebody back to life,  _ one _ person at that, would be laughably easy with such power. Mayura wasn’t lying when she said that she could restore his mother to him.

“I beg your pardon?” Mayura stared at him in disbelief, “You don’t mean…”

“Don’t get me wrong.” Chat Noir mustered his confidence, “I loved my mother… more than  _ you _ would ever understand.” He took a deep breath, “But it’s been  _ years! _ She’s probably  _ dead, _ and if I wished for her return, I’d be giving up somebody  _ else _ to make that happen.” Adrien hadn’t meant to get this emotional in front of his enemy, but he couldn’t stop now. “So  _ yeah, _ I won’t be  _ selfish _ enough to pick my mother over-”

Adrien blinked, as a strange sound started coming from the Peacock supervillain. It was… something that weirdly resembled  _ laughter? _

_ “Amazing.” _ Mayura struggled to reign in her downright  _ demented _ chortle, “Every word of what you just said… was  _ wrong.” _

“I don’t-”

_ “Nobody _ is going to die.” Mayura’s face was filled with  _ hunger,  _ “There’s no  _ price _ for using the ladybug and black cat Miraculous together… as long as your will is strong enough, and your mind in balance… it’ll work perfectly.”

_ It couldn’t be. _ Adrien refused to believe it. All that stuff Ladybug had said about the balance, and paying a price for wielding the power… it  _ had _ to be true. She withheld information a lot, but Ladybug would just  _ lie _ like that… would she?

“But I’m even more bothered by what you said about your mother. I told you last time we met that she was  _ alive.” _

“And I didn’t believe you then, either.” Chat Noir challenged, but it was half-hearted at this point.

“Then see for yourself.” Mayura said frostily, gesturing at Adrien’s bedroom door.

“What do you-”

_ “Follow me.” _ Mayura said, marching into the hallway. “There’s a lot of things that your father won’t tell you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's been seven months. I don't have a real excuse, just that I had a little crisis where I thought that this story was awful and I couldn't bring myself to open it again. I saw your comments though, and I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long. I can't promise my uploads will be quick, but I promise I won't abandon this story again.


	15. Argumentation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Wayzz have another serious discussion.

“That was _ new.” _ Tikki said, as Marinette closed the trapdoor to her bedroom.

“That’s putting it lightly.” Marinette’s cheeks reddened a bit, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” She shook her head, cringing at the realization that Tikki was almost _ certainly _ watching her and Adrien ‘study’ together. Marinette and Tikki had spent over a year living together now, and there were obviously few boundaries between them, but it was still _ weird. _

“I’ve seen worse.” Tikki chuckled, landing on Marinette’s desk as the dark-haired girl sat down and opened a textbook. Marinette didn’t doubt Tikki’s claim, and was more than willing to end their conversation there.

Marinette had never expected this day to go so well. After the _ disaster _ with Chat Noir the night before, she’d have never thought that _ Alya _ of all people would approach her about it. Adrien had given her a couple of polite “are you doing okay?” questions in the morning, but she had to admit that he didn’t really press the issue like she’d expected. After Marinette gave the dismissive “I’ll be fine,” Adrien had been surprisingly quick in dropping the issue.

In truth, he didn’t look like he’d been doing much better than her… maybe something with his father? Something had seemed _ off _with her boyfriend for quite a while now, today was just worse than usual. She just hoped that the time she’d spent with him just now had brightened his day.

It had certainly brightened hers...

“Well… I’m glad you had a good time.” Tikki’s tone was congratulatory, but Marinette knew her kwami well. Underneath her characteristic optimism… Tikki clearly had _ something _ to tell her, and was deciding on the best way to approach it.

“But…?” Marinette prompted, and Tikki winced.

“Tikki managed to consult with _ Plagg _ today.” Wayzz’s voice came from Marinette’s bed, causing both the girl and kwami to _ jump. _

“Good to see you too, Wayzz.” Marinette sighed, but frowned as she processed the flying turtle’s statement, “You mean… Chat Noir’s kwami?”

“That’s him.” Wayzz affirmed, “And from what I understand… there’s a lot to discuss.”

Tikki looked anxiously at her chosen wielder, as the energy seemed to immediately _ drain _ from the girl’s face. Marinette had of course known that _ something _ like this was coming. After their last “discussion” went so poorly, it was only a matter of time before the conversation shifted back to heroes and identities. And _ especially _ after learning about Chat Noir’s identity problem… Marinette couldn’t really argue.

So as much as Marinette would prefer to just _ ignore _ this whole mess… she was still Ladybug. Now wasn’t the time to throw another hissy fit about the hand she’d been dealt; now was the time to make a _ plan. _

“Well…” Marinette took a deep breath, before looking Wayzz straight in the eyes, “I take it Tikki told you about Chat Noir?”

“She most certainly did.” Wayzz gave her an authoritative nod, “His identity is in the hands of our enemies, and his allegiance to our cause has been called into question.”

“His _ allegiance _ is in question?” Marinette’s eyes narrowed, “Don’t you think that’s a _ bit _ much?”

After all, Ladybug and Chat Noir’s relationship was _ rocky, _ but he was… still on her team, at the very least. Calling the two of them _ friends _ after all that had happened in the last few months would be a bit of an exaggeration, Marinette had to admit, but the past still counted for _ something, _ after all. He’d _ never _ given her a reason to make her believe that his heart wasn’t in the right place, and was _ always _ there to help her when he could.

Granted… last night was bad. 

_ “We are not partners, and I’m sick of you acting like we are!” _

“We _ have _ to recover the Black Cat Miraculous. It is _ far _ too dangerous to leave it in his possession for any longer.” Wayzz said firmly, and Marinette looked at the turtle kwami like he’d just sprouted a second head.

_ “Excuse _ me?” Her eyes narrowed, “You _ cannot _ be serious.”

After all, the fear of having his Miraculous taken was the _ one _ real reason that Chat Noir had offered in defence of his actions. When he’d said it, Ladybug had been _ devastated _ that Chat Noir thought so little of her… and of Master Fu, as mad as she was at him. In fact, she’d openly _ dismissed _ the allegation, lashing out at him for even _ suggesting _ that such a thing was possible. Even if his identity was blown, that didn’t end their partnership!

“The rules are the rules.” Wayzz said, scowling right back at Marinette

“You have to listen to us, Marinette!” Tikki soothed, flying over the girl’s shoulder and landing softly on her desk, “We’ve talked with Plagg, and things don’t look good.”

“That’s an _ understatement.” _ Wayzz said bitterly, and decided to join Tikki on the desk.

"There’s no _ way _ Plagg told you this was a good idea!” Marinette took a deep breath, not wanting to get any louder with her parents _ directly _ below them.

Marinette had only met Plagg a couple of times, and was immediately blown away by just how _ different _ he was from Tikki. Where Tikki gave off an air of _ order, _ the Black Cat kwami was an agent of total _ chaos. _ The first day they’d met, the day Ladybug had to face Style Queen alone, Plagg had personally levelled the Eiffel Tower without missing a beat. He was downright _ sarcastic, _ and seemed almost moody at times.

In other words, Marinette had to admit that he was a perfect match for Chat Noir… 

“Plagg didn’t say that.” Tikki said hesitantly, “Plagg is…”

“Plagg is being willfully _ blind.” _ Wayzz finished, somewhat derisively, “He hasn’t let go of the past, and it’s stopping him from understanding the present properly.”

“And here I thought that the two of you got along.” As upset as she was, Marinette couldn’t resist the jab, “How is the past getting in his way?”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss it.” Wayzz shook his head, “Take it up with Tikki later if it’s really _ that _ important to you.”   
  


“Is it really that bad?” Marinette had to admit she was curious.

“It’s not relevant to _ this _ conversation.” Wayzz said tightly, “What matters is that the Black Cat Miraculous is in _ serious _ danger.”

“That’s not what’s important here!” Marinette snapped, “Chat Noir is my _ partner! _ He’s _ always _ had my back, and we can’t just throw all that away because of one mistake!”

“Need I explain just how _ deadly _ the ultimate power of destruction would be in the wrong hands?” Wayzz lectured, “With that ring… Hawkmoth would command the power to shatter the very _ fabric _ of this entire _ dimension!” _

“Marinette…” Tikki soothed, “You _ know _ how important your identity is.”

Within five minutes of meeting Tikki, just over a year and three months ago, Marinette’s newfound companion had made it completely clear that her identity as Ladybug was her most valuable secret. Sharing the knowledge of her identity with _ anybody _ was too dangerous to even _ consider. _ If Hawkmoth (or Mayura) ever found out who Ladybug and Chat Noir really were, behind their masks, it would almost certainly spell the end for the both of them.

And now… Chat Noir’s secret identity was gone. Mayura knew it, and Hawkmoth almost certainly did as well. _ Everybody _ he knew in his personal life was now at risk, and he was lucky that he hadn’t lost his Miraculous yet. He was almost _ certainly _ being monitored in his daily life, and Hawkmoth or one of his disciples may have even been tailing Chat Noir whenever he met with Ladybug.

But even so, Marinette _ couldn’t _ just take his Miraculous. Even if he didn’t resist, she’d be taking away the _ one _ person that fully understood her superhero life, even if he didn’t know her name. The only person that could relate to missing so many obligations, ruining friendships, and carrying kwamis around.

They were in a rough patch, for sure, but he was still her friend.

“Are you saying you’d do the same to me?” Marinette asked quietly, shifting her gaze to make eye contact with Tikki, “If my identity was gone… you’d take these earrings?”

Marinette didn’t want to believe that. After all that she’d been through with Tikki… surely the adorable ladybug creature she’d adopted felt _ some _ affinity for her wielder? Tikki obviously needed Marinette to become Ladybug out of duty, but there _ had _ to be something more there. They were _ friends! _ Marinette fed her… worked on designs with her! If Tikki was _ seriously _ willing to just drop all that if Ladybug screwed up _ once… _

Marinette wouldn’t know what to think.

_ “You _have taken care of your identity.” Wayzz challenged, and Tikki simply looked down at the desk below, “Such hypotheticals are not-”

“Tikki?” Marinette barely heard the green kwami, still fixated on her friend.

“I don’t know…” Tikki muttered, fidgeting with the edge of Marinette’s sketchbook, “I’d _ try _ to work something out…”

Marinette’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s not the point.” Wayzz intervened, literally floating in between the two of them, “Your identity is still safe!”

_ But what if it wasn’t? _ Marinette wanted to snap at the two kwamis. Were the rules of a distant old man truly the most important thing here? Tikki’s response was about as unhelpful as it could be, but it told Marinette enough: Tikki wasn’t really on her side, was she? Ultimately, Marinette’s role as Ladybug was more important. Maybe they were friends, maybe they weren’t… but _ Ladybug _ was what really mattered.

The realization _ hurt. _

“Hawkmoth has known Chat Noir’s identity for _ months _ now, and he still hasn’t done _ anything _ to take his Miraculous.” Marinette countered, still disarmed by Tikki’s words. She quietly decided that the two of them would have to continue this conversation later, without Wayzz to interject every five seconds.

_ “Yet.” _ Wayzz reminded her, “You mean that Hawkmoth hasn’t taken Chat Noir’s Miraculous _ yet.” _

Marinette couldn’t help but feel like she was missing a _ huge _ piece of the puzzle here. Hawkmoth or Mayura could definitely attack Chat Noir at any time, but for whatever the reason they had decided to _ wait. _ And if Marinette had learned anything from fighting Hawkmoth’s goons for the past _ year, _ it was that the man in the butterfly costume _ never _ hesitated to pounce on any opportunity he could find.

“And why is that?” Marinette wondered aloud, “Why hasn’t he attacked Chat Noir?” Marinette looked between the two kwamis, “He could’ve _ easily _ taken that ring by now if he knows Chat’s name and where he lives-”

_ “Excellent question.” _ Wayzz interrupted, sharing a cryptic look with Tikki, “And it’s one that Plagg _ may _ have provided an answer for.”

“...What do you mean?” Marinette paused, the gears in her head shifting as she realized that Tikki _ still _ hadn’t said what Plagg told her today.

The silence between the three of them was _ deafening, _ as Wayzz’s pleading eyes silently implored Tikki to speak up, something that _ immediately _ caught Marinette’s attention. The answer to her question must have been _ awful _ if the socially inept turtle kwami wasn’t willing to just blurt it out on demand.

**********

“Where do you think _ you’re _ going?” Chat Noir _ hissed, _ but he followed Mayura into the hallway nonetheless.

All things considered… things were going as smoothly as Nathalie could’ve hoped. Adrien hadn’t lashed out this time, despite his tough words. He’d resisted her offer, but Nathalie could practically _ smell _ the conflict within him. The boy’s emotional life was a _ mess, _ and Emilie’s sudden departure was the driving force behind it. As much as he might claim otherwise, it was _ clear _ that he found her plan tempting.

Mayura had almost lost her cool, much to her own surprise. Adrien had called her _ selfish, _ an accusation that she wasn’t willing to entertain. All of _ this: _ the villains, the powers, the bizarre costumes… it was all for Emilie and the other Agrestes. And once Adrien saw _ exactly _ what she was fighting for, there was no way he would argue.

And to top it off, Adrien had a _ bizarre _ idea of how the Miraculous worked. For whatever reason (probably to shut down any discussion), the Guardian of the Miraculous had told Chat Noir that the absolute power of the Miraculous was _ limited _ by some vague concept of balance. She’d found herself outright _ laughing _ at the boy’s speech… a vague _ excuse _ offered by some decrepit old man to keep Chat Noir and Ladybug from realizing their full potential.

Absolute power was _ dangerous, _ to be sure. For one person to wield the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous together required _ tremendous _ strength of will. The risks were global in scale… _ cosmic, _ if Gabriel’s spellbook was to be believed. But such power didn’t require anything in return.

He had no idea what was in store for him; he had no clue what Gabriel had kept hidden from him. And if Mayura was to persuade Chat Noir to join her… that was going to _ have _ to change.

“There’s something you need to see.” Mayura said, maintaining a confident stride towards the massive stairwell.

Chat Noir continued to tail her, but she could sense his uneasiness growing with every step. Mayura didn’t look, but she could tell that the gears in his head were spinning. Chat Noir could almost certainly overpower her if he tried, and Mayura needed to make sure she got her point across without suffering serious injury or death.

As well as things had gone so far, it was all mere rehearsal; _ this _ was the main event.

“I’d be careful.” Chat Noir warned, as Mayura approached the door to Gabriel Agreste’s private office, “My father’s assistant might still be in there…”

“She’s not here.” Mayura assured him, smiling privately.

“You…” Chat Noir’s eyes widened, “You’ve been watching her, haven’t you?”

“I’ve been surveying the entire house, if you _ must _ know.”

“And here I thought we’d reached some kind of an understanding after our fight with the Reaper.” Chat Noir sighed, and Mayura ignored him as she opened the door.

The office was as imposing as ever. Nathalie had refused to change any of the decor, as she was both confident that Gabriel would not approve of any changes, and certain that she liked it the way that it was. It perfectly suited the overall professional style of the Agreste Mansion, both as a functional space for his designing work and as a gateway to his _ other _ activities. The photographs of Adrien, and the portrait of Emilie were powerful reminders of what Gabriel was _ truly _ fighting for; everything was for his family, in the end.

“I take it there’s something worth seeing here?” Chat Noir asked impatiently, “Or are you just here to steal my father’s work?”  
  


“Hard to do while he’s _ miles _ away.” Mayura retorted, and she sensed Chat Noir tense up again as she approached the portrait of Emilie.

“It’s a nice portrait.” Chat Noir said, and none of his trademark sarcasm was present, “It’s of my mother… but I’m guessing you already know that, don’t you?”

“It is nice.” Mayura agreed, “But it’s a lot more than just a portrait.” She finally turned to face the leather-clad superhero, as she chose her next words _carefully,_ “I was surprised to learn that it contains _two_ big secrets.”

“No… I think it’s just a portrait.” Chat Noir said, but Mayura was undeterred.

Chat Noir tried to hold a poker face, but Mayura recognized _ concern _ in his bright green eyes. Adrien already knew about the safe behind the portrait, having used it to steal the Miraculous spellbook from his father some time ago, and was probably trying to protect its contents from Mayura.

“There’s a safe.” Mayura said, and she saw Chat Noir’s eyes widen, “But that’s not what we’re after tonight.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Which is why you should just _ listen.” _ Mayura chided him, as she ran her hands across the gigantic portrait, feeling for the two buttons Gabriel would use to enter his lair.

_ Click. _ Mayura allowed herself a small smile as the elevator activated. Fortunately, the butterflies were gone from Emilie’s resting place, along with all other evidence that the location belonged to Paris’s most feared villain. Showing the chamber to Adrien shouldn’t reveal _ anything _ about Mayura or Hawkmoth.

_ All it’ll do is create strife with his father... _

“Are you coming?” Mayura turned back to Chat Noir, whose eyes were as wide as apples as he stared at the newfound hole in the office floor, “There should be room for two if you’d like to have a look…”

“I’m coming.” He said, a newfound determination in his eyes.

**********

“There’s _ no way.” _ Marinette argued, “Chat Noir would _ never _ side with Hawkmoth!”

“And he hasn’t!” Tikki reassured her, fluttering in front of Marinette’s face as the girl angrily paced around her bedroom, “But the situation he’s stuck in-”

“We’re forbidden to share identity-pertinent information.” Wayzz said grimly, cutting off his crimson-colored compatriot, “But you _ must _ understand that Mayura and Hawkmoth wield _ tremendous _ leverage over your partner right now.”

“They’re threatening _ everybody _ he knows.” Tikki reminded her, “And apparently Mayura is offering to use the power of the Miraculous to return one of his _ parents!” _

“That’s…” Marinette was at a loss for words.

Chat Noir had a missing parent? _ Her _ Chat Noir? The easygoing, friendly boy that had fought at her side for so long? Sure, he had a moody side, but he never seemed to be bothered by anything _ that _ serious. She didn’t know much about her partner’s personal life… _ nothing, _actually, but this was still jarring.

“So you see now?” Wayzz implored, “Chat Noir’s miraculous is in _ serious _peril!”

“He’s stronger than that!” Marinette snapped, “It doesn’t matter _ what _ Mayura or Hawkmoth pull out of their sleeves; Chat Noir isn’t going to _ help _ them!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! This chapter was a bit longer than the last one, and I hope to have the next one up by the end of the week. If possible, I want to have this entire story finished by the end of July, but we'll see. Comments / Criticism are absolutely welcome!


	16. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathalie takes Adrien on a tour of his own basement.

_ “So, I don’t mean to brag.” _ Alya rolled her eyes at her boyfriend’s antics, but couldn’t hold back a grin anyway.

“Yeah, yeah.” Alya said with a laugh, “It was all ‘your idea,’ wasn’t it?”

_ “One hundred percent.” _ Nino’s voice was laughing as well.

Alya was lying on her stomach, momentarily putting aside her schoolwork to take Nino’s boisterous phone call. She had  _ plenty _ of work to get done… but there were a lot of hours left in the night. What had happened with Marinette today, getting past three  _ months _ worth of cold silence, was  _ far _ more important in Alya’s mind than the painfully bland work the teachers had scraped up for the last week of the semester.

“I’m glad things are getting better between us.” Alya said sincerely, “Honestly… I  _ never _ would’ve imagined that things would go this well.”

_ “Well, you know what they say.”  _ Nino chuckled, “N _ ever look at a prized horse’s- uh, wait.” _

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” Alya supplied.

_ “Nerd.”  _ Nino teased, and Alya found herself rolling her eyes again,  _ “Still though; this is good enough, isn’t it?” _

Alya supposed that it was ‘good enough.’ Marinette had certainly treated her poorly, but if it really was just a bad night for the girl… Alya wasn’t going to hold it against her. The issue hadn’t  _ completely _ passed, but they were back to being friends for sure. They  _ might _ need to talk about what had happened, beyond just Marinette apologizing, but Alya was willing to wait on that for at least a  _ little  _ while.

“I  _ still _ don’t get why she lashed out in the first place.” Alya said thoughtfully, but frowned as something caught her eye at the window.

_ “Me neither.” _ Nino agreed,  _ “It must have been something going on with-” _

“Hey babe?” Alya interrupted stiffly, “Can I… call you back in a minute? I have to do something really quick.” She didn’t wait for his answer before hanging up, silently apologizing for how rude that was.

But it was necessary. After all, Alya  _ certainly _ wasn’t going to keep  _ Ladybug _ waiting at her window for any longer than she needed to.

**********

“What…” Chat Noir stared in awe at the absolutely  _ massive  _ chamber in front of them, quickly stepping away from Mayura as soon as the tiny elevator permitted it.

The lighting was fairly dim, but not inadequate. Despite its size, the chamber only seemed to contain two sections of interest: the elevator, and a gigantic platform connected by a long and narrow walkway. On that platform, there looked to be an assortment of different  _ plants, _ as though a garden was being maintained over there, for whatever the reason. And in the middle of that mysterious garden… despite his enhanced vision while transformed, Chat Noir was unable to decipher what the object in the middle of the garden was. It was large and rectangular, but that was all he could make out.

The entire area looked like it was a similar size to the mansion as a whole, actually. And since they were underneath the rest of the house, Chat Noir supposed that this could technically be considered a  _ basement. _

“This is…  _ what  _ exactly?” Chat Noir mused, looking down at what seemed to be pools of  _ water _ underneath the metal walkway. He was still holding his baton, but he felt less and less like he was actually going to  _ use _ it.

“A resting place.” Mayura said softly, her tone far more  _ reverent _ than Chat Noir had ever heard from the villain before, “Follow me, and I’ll show you.”

Chat Noir certainly wasn’t  _ happy _ to be following Mayura around, but he had to admit that she was starting to feel like less and less of a threat. She was obviously trying to win him over to her cause, but even upon his refusal she’d still been unwilling to attack him. Despite having  _ countless _ opportunities to attack him in his sleep, or out in public, Mayura was still yet to actually do anything to him.

Left with nothing but his growing curiosity, Chat Noir decided to follow his enemy, slowly walking across the walkway and towards the garden area. After all, he’d followed Mayura this far, and he  _ had _ to learn what was going on here. If anything, this was supposed to be his own turf, since it was underneath his own house.

“How on Earth did  _ you _ learn about this place?” Chat Noir demanded as he jogged to catch up with the Peacock supervillain.

“Unimportant.” Mayura dismissed, not even looking at Chat Noir, “But I’m surprised you haven’t figured out what we’re here to see. This place should look…  _ familiar.” _

As alien as this place was… Chat Noir had to admit that he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d seen the garden somewhere before. Not as though it was some repressed childhood memory, either. In fact, the more he gazed at the mysterious object in the middle of the garden, this place almost looked like- Chat Noir  _ gasped, _ immediately rushing past Mayura, approaching the platform in no time thanks to his enhanced speed.

This was the place from Mayura’s photograph! The plants, the coffin… It meant that inside the coffin had to be-

Adrien froze the moment he reached the coffin, paralyzed as he saw hair as blonde as his own. A woman was inside the coffin, dressed in a tasteful white pantsuit. Her eyes, surely as green as the orbs he saw every morning in his mirror, were closed. And despite the complete eruption of emotions inside the boy… Adrien found himself  _ awestruck,  _ more than anything else. He recognized the figure in front of him, behind the glass… but his mind was still struggling to put it all together.

“There she is.” Mayura vocalized Adrien’s thoughts with a soft whisper, but it was his turn to ignore her words.

_How_ _could this be?_ After all this time, after so many fruitless days of waiting for news from his father, his mother had been right underneath him all along? He’d seen Mayura’s picture, _of course,_ but he’d automatically assumed his mother’s location to be somewhere _distant._ Maybe a warehouse, or a hidden fortress? Adrien had to admit that this ‘basement’ didn’t seem especially different from _either _of those…

But as quickly as Adrien’s mind struggled to make sense of this… his  _ heart _ moved even faster, and Adrien quickly felt warm tears pouring from his eyes, sopping underneath his mask and wettening his cheeks before he could even  _ begin _ to process them. Suddenly feeling ill, Adrien dropped to his knees, not even noticing as his baton rolled out of his hand.

Much to his surprise, a warm hand gripped his shoulder. He looked up, still blinking away his tears as he made eye contact with Mayura. Her eyes… usually  _ dead _ looking, were full of sympathy.

“You see…” Mayura whispered,  _ “This _ is what he’s been keeping from you…”

He wanted to  _ rip  _ her hand off of his shoulder, and attack her with everything he had. After all, this  _ had _ to be her doing, didn’t it? There was no way his father was keeping  _ this _ much from him! Surely if he’d  _ known _ where Adrien’s mother was, he’d have said something? Mayura was tricking him… she was a supervillain, after all.

“He  _ can’t…” _ Adrien protested, but he made no move to rise or remove the villain’s hand. He simply couldn’t muster the willpower.

_ “Adrien.” _ She said firmly, but her voice wasn’t unkind either, “You need to  _ get up.” _

His mother was in a  _ coffin. _ All this time since she’d vanished from his life… he’d  _ always _ wanted to believe that she was alive. His own father had  _ nurtured _ that hope, telling him that she would eventually be back with them. This place… it was underneath the mansion! There was  _ no way _ Mayura could’ve set up a deception  _ this  _ elaborate. His father had  _ known, _ all this time. Gabriel Agreste’s reassurances to his younger self had been  _ empty. _

“She’s  _ dead.” _ Adrien whispered, his voice growing progressively more  _ spiteful _ with each passing syllable, “He buried her… and he didn’t tell me!”

“No.” Mayura shook her head in disagreement, gesturing at a small screen on the front of the coffin, “Take a look.”

Adrien frowned, but found himself gasping again as he realized that the strange charts and numbers displayed on the screen  _ had _ to be vital signs of some sort.

Which meant that…

“Your mother isn’t  _ dead, _ Adrien.” Mayura said, “She’s been in a deep, deep sleep for a long time now…”

**********

“Ladybug?” Alya’s voice was tight as she opened the bedroom window, and her face was filled with worry, “Is… is everything okay?”

“Since when did things need to be wrong for me to want to see you?” Ladybug said in a voice that was clearly  _ meant _ to be joking, but her smile came off as much more of a grimace.

Alya paused, unsure if she should be offended by the remark. After all, the last time she’d even  _ seen _ Ladybug, the spotted superheroine had  _ screamed  _ at her. Alya freely admitted that she deserved the scolding; after all, going out  _ alone _ in the middle of the night to get camera footage of a dangerous supervillain was hardly responsible. But for Ladybug to try and  _ ignore _ that seemed wrong as well.

“Well… we haven’t spoken  _ at all _ since-”

“Point taken.” Ladybug interrupted her, sighing as she lowered herself down from the window sill.

Alya opened her mouth, planning to offer Ladybug a seat… or something. But instead of whatever pleasantries she had planned, Alya instead found herself unable to say anything, distracted by just how _sad_ Ladybug looked. Even after seeing Ladybug in complete emotional chaos the last time they’d met, Alya was still unsettled to see her hero looking like this.

“Mind if I?” Ladybug gestured at Alya’s desk, jarring her back to reality.

“Of course.” Alya scrambled to pull the chair out for her.

Ladybug sat down at the desk, looking around somewhat uncomfortably as Alya decided to sit down at the edge of her own bed. Ladybug had been here before, Alya remembered, to ask for her help alongside Chat Noir. It felt like a lifetime ago now.

“I don’t mean to bother you…” Ladybug said awkwardly, breaking the silence between them.

“It’s no problem.” Alya said, putting on a smile that convinced neither of them, “I’m guessing there’s no akuma, or reason to panic?”

“Hasn’t been for months.” Ladybug shook her head somewhat distractedly, “No… I just needed somebody to talk to.”

Alya frowned in confusion. Ladybug needed somebody to talk to, and chose  _ Alya? _ The last time they’d met, Ladybug had screamed at her. Why on Earth would she be Ladybug’s first choice for a confidant? After all, it wasn’t like the two of them had ever done something like this before, even before their falling out. Ladybug’s visits were  _ always _ professional in nature; whether Ladybug needed Rena Rouge, or help in some other way.

“And you chose…  _ me?” _ Alya blinked, and Ladybug seemed to  _ squirm,  _ “I mean, I’m honored, but don’t you have Chat Noir-”

_ “No.” _ Ladybug snapped, somewhat aggressively, before Alya could even finish her question.

_ No? _ Alya was caught more than a bit off guard. The last time she’d spoken with Chat Noir, the boy had been determined to repair his own rift with Ladybug. But from the way Ladybug was talking, it sounded like the two of them were on worse terms than  _ ever, _ if Ladybug couldn’t even call him for a conversation. And considering the way that Paris  _ depended _ on the two of them for protection, that was a real problem.

But before Alya could respond, her eyes widened as she saw the beginnings of  _ tears _ forming in her idol’s eyes. Ladybug was quick to look away, but Alya still saw it.

“Oh…” Alya said, trying to keep her voice calm, “Ladybug… are you-”

“I’m-” Ladybug took a deep breath, rubbing her eyes before looking back, “I’m gonna be okay. You don’t need to worry about me.”

That sounded like a blatant  _ lie, _ but Alya wasn’t sure if she should call it out. She wouldn’t hesitate if it was  _ anybody _ except Ladybug (Marinette would be enduring a  _ serious _ counseling session after an outburst like that), but the two of them weren’t exactly close friends. Alya certainly  _ cared _ about Ladybug, but she wasn’t sure if her idol would respond positively to that kind of behavior.

_ Screw it. _ Alya thought to herself. She was going to stay true to herself, whether Ladybug was okay with it or not.

“You don’t  _ sound _ fine.” Alya challenged her, and Ladybug’s eyes widened a bit.

“What makes you say that?”

“The way that you started  _ crying _ at the mention of your partner’s name.” Alya deadpanned, and Ladybug was silent.

The most obvious answer was that the two of them had just had some kind of argument. The way Ladybug had reacted when Alya suggested confiding in Chat Noir… it meant that the feline hero was almost definitely the  _ source _ of her current state. And while Alya didn’t feel as though she knew either hero particularly well on a personal level, she was more than willing to try and make peace between them.

The last time she’d talked with Chat Noir, the boy had let it slip that the two of them didn’t have the cleanest relationship. Apparently, the two of them didn’t even know each others’ identities outside the mask, and Alya could tell that Chat Noir was far from satisfied with the two of them keeping that many secrets from each other.

Alya straightened her posture. She might not be the most qualified person for the job. But Alya wasn’t going to let the city’s best defenders down. Even if it just meant being a  _ friend, _ and advising Ladybug with her relationship issues, Alya was going to do her  _ absolute _ best to help her out.

“Look…” Alya tried, when it became clear that Ladybug wasn’t going to say anything, “I know I’m not really qualified to say  _ anything _ here, but I think you came here for a reason. Whatever you want to talk about… if it’s about Chat Noir, or something else, I’m here for you.”

“It’s about Chat Noir.” Ladybug said miserably, staring at the floor.

“I take it that the two of you had some kind of argument or-”

“Hawkmoth and Mayura know his secret identity.” Ladybug said abruptly, finally looking Alya dead in the eye, “The kwamis want me to take his Miraculous back, as a way to keep it safe.”

...Whatever Alya had been expecting, this was  _ not _ it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might be skipping ahead a bit in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	17. Isolation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Alya have a polite chat, while Mayura and Adrien have a reasonable discussion of their own.

Mayura studied Chat Noir’s face, desperate to know what was going on inside his head. He wouldn’t meet her gaze, but Mayura could still tell how conflicted the boy was as he gazed at his own mother’s resting place. She’d just explained to him that the blonde woman was still alive; there was still time to  _ save _ her.

There was no way Chat Noir- or rather,  _ Adrien, _ could resist her offer now. Nathalie wasn’t proud of all the things she’d done to save Emilie, but she’d done them out of  _ love. _ And if there was one thing Nathalie had learned about Adrien, throughout the many years she’d known him, it was that the boy  _ loved _ his mother. With a distant father, and a sheltered life of homeschooling, Emilie was one of the few lights in his life.

“I see…” Chat Noir said quietly.

Even if he refused her… it was still to Nathalie’s  _ complete  _ advantage. Adrien had seen too much now, and knew  _ where _ it all was. He  _ had _ to confront his father about it, and there was practically no way Gabriel would return to Paris afterwards. It was a low blow, to be sure, but it was the only real way of containing him that Nathalie had.

“Don’t you want to save her?” Mayura pressed, stepping in between the boy and his mother, forcing him to make eye contact.

“Of  _ course _ I do.” Chat Noir snapped, and a fire seemed to light in his eyes, “But there  _ has  _ to be a way to-”

“There’s  _ nothing.” _ Mayura interrupted, “Adrien… your father tried  _ everything. _ Every treatment money can buy, every specialist on the face of the Earth.” She paused, realizing that she needed to explain her knowledge of this topic, “It’s  _ all _ in the files on his computer upstairs-”

“So what then?” Chat Noir didn’t seem to notice her slip, fortunately, “You’re telling me that absolute power is the  _ only _ way to bring her back!?”

“Unless you have a better idea.”

“That’s not-” Chat Noir caught himself, and it was clear that he was utterly  _ torn  _ about what to do, “Wouldn’t there be a price to pay?”

“I already told you.” Mayura shook her head, “The power of the Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculous… they come at no price, so long as their wielder has both the strength of will to wield them, and a spirit in balance.”

While Nathalie almost always managed to remain dispassionate, even in difficult situations, she had to admit that this was  _ frustrating. _ If the Guardian of the Miraculous was truly so  _ manipulative _ as to lie about the power he’d given these children… it was  _ pathetic,  _ really. It was clear that this Guardian was too much of a  _ coward _ to wield such power.

“Think about it.” Mayura pushed, when Chat Noir looked unconvinced, “When you use your  _ cataclysm, _ or Ladybug repairs the city at will… does that  _ cost  _ anything?”

“I don’t know.” Chat Noir admitted quietly, “There’s… well, a  _ lot _ that I don’t know about the Miraculous I guess.”

_ “Especially _ when you just believe whatever your masters tell you.” Mayura said, somewhat snidely, drawing a nasty look from the feline hero.

Pushing his buttons could be  _ dangerous, _ especially while he was so volatile. But if Mayura was going to get  _ anywhere _ tonight, she couldn’t afford to hold back; this was a risk she was going to have to take.

“And what about  _ you?” _ Chat Noir demanded, “What are  _ you _ going to gain from all of this?”

“I lost somebody.” Mayura said simply, to which Chat Noir went silent, “I lost somebody… and I want them  _ back.” _

It was the truth, of course. The fact that the person Nathalie had lost, and the person she was offering to Adrien now happened to be one and the same was  _ irrelevant. _ For his part, Chat Noir didn’t seem to disbelieve her. In fact, she was surprised to see the smallest bit of  _ sympathy _ in his unnaturally green eyes.

“Still though…” Chat Noir muttered, looking back at his mother, “We  _ can’t _ just use the Miraculous on demand to-”

_ “Why not?” _ Mayura demanded, not letting him finish, “Great power exists to be  _ wielded, _ not ignored.”

And Nathalie really meant it. What was the point of controlling both halves of absolute power if you were unwilling to use that power to make the world a better place, or _at least_ advance your own interests? She had never met the Guardian of the Miraculous, but the more she learned of him and his ways, the less impressed she was.

“That’s the kind of attitude that gets people  _ killed.” _ Chat Noir shot back, but the edge in his voice was mostly gone.

_ “Wrong.” _ Mayura said coldly, and pointed back at Emilie, “That’s the kind of attitude that  _ saves _ people from dying.”

Rather than answering, Chat Noir stared longingly at the pod yet again, clearly still conflicted. Mayura wasn’t really surprised by his indecision; Adrien may be brave and passionate, but he rarely took much initiative of his own. He wasn’t going to make this decision unless he was  _ really _ pushed on it.

“I’ll be using the power of the Miraculous whether you join me or not.” Mayura threatened, “I know your name… your  _ family. _ I know your friends and your girlfriend, and I know things about your life that  _ you  _ didn’t know about!” She waved her arms around the massive chamber for dramatic effect.

Chat Noir’s eyes widened at the threats, but he didn’t react like he did last time. All things considered, Adrien was  _ lucky _ she hadn’t acted against him yet. If he was  _ anybody _ besides Adrien Agreste, that Miraculous would be in hands  _ right now. _ She was being generous, offering him a chance to join up, and  _ help _ bring back his mother. 

“Just  _ look _ at her.” Mayura pointed back at Emilie, “We don’t have to be  _ enemies, _ Adrien! Once this is over, I’ll tell you Hawkmoth’s identity. You’ll retrieve  _ both  _ of our Miraculous, and  _ you _ can be the one to save the people we’ve lost. Together, we can save all of the people we love… as  _ partners!” _

Mayura couldn’t help but throw in the last jab, in reference to Chat Noir’s insecurities about his relationship with Ladybug. The bug claimed that they were partners, while she  _ always _ dictated the terms. Ladybug was the one who chose which heroes to deputize on any given day, and Chat Noir was left playing second fiddle.

“I can’t do that.” Adrien said quietly, “I want to save my mother… but I can’t betray Ladybug. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

“Then you’ve chosen a life of servitude to people who will  _ never _ appreciate what you do for them.” Mayura shook her head in disappointment, “You’ve chosen that life instead of saving your own  _ mother.” _

And Mayura decided to leave it at that. She turned, and walked across the catwalk and back towards the elevator, leaving Adrien alone with his thoughts and his mother in the dark expanse of Gabriel’s sanctuary. She was disappointed, to be sure, but not terribly surprised. She had other avenues she could pursue, beyond recruiting the boy.

After all, Adrien would be serving her goals, one way or another… 

**********

“That doesn’t really sound  _ fair.” _ Alya said bluntly, after Ladybug finished dumping the details of the situation on her.

Ladybug couldn’t really disagree with her best friend’s assessment, either. Taking Chat Noir’s Miraculous, after  _ everything _ he’d done for both the city and for Ladybug personally wasn’t fair  _ at all, _ no matter how badly his identity was compromised. But unfortunately, something being  _ unfair _ didn’t mean it wasn’t  _ necessary, _ even though she hated herself for thinking like that. There were a  _ lot _ of other factors in play here.

“Well,” Ladybug shook her head grimly, “I’m afraid that  _ fairness _ isn’t exactly at the top of the priority list right now. As much as it royally  _ sucks… _ I’m afraid that the safety of the Miraculous is the most important thing here.”

“Even if it means betraying your partner?” Alya demanded, looking more than a bit  _ upset _ by what Ladybug was telling her.

Was she  _ betraying _ Chat Noir? Ladybug honestly didn’t know, but Master Fu had been  _ crystal clear _ on the dangers of the Miraculous landing in the wrong hands. And if that wasn’t enough, she had  _ just _ learned from her conversation with Tikki and Wayzz that Chat Noir might have just beat her to the punch in that department...

“If I’m to believe Wayzz and Tikki, he might be on the verge of betraying  _ me.” _ Ladybug countered, ignoring Alya’s anger for the moment, “Mayura threatened his family… and is apparently trying to  _ bribe _ him with-”   
  


“-with a long lost family member.” Alya finished, “I got that. But what has Chat Noir actually  _ done _ to you so far? Surely you trust him to-”   
  


“I  _ trusted _ him to tell me if his identity was compromised.” Ladybug interrupted angrily, getting closer to losing her temper by the second, “But instead of coming to me for help… he waited a whole  _ three months  _ to say anything!”

“And the answer would’ve been different back then?” Alya challenged her, “Three months ago, you wouldn’t have been told to take his Miraculous right afterwards?”

Since when had Alya decided to act as Chat Noir’s biggest defender? Marinette admitted that it was somewhat petty of her to notice, but ever since Ladybug and Alya had argued, Alya had seemed to be  _ increasingly _ interested in promoting Chat Noir and his interests. She’d added a section for Chat Noir on her  _ Ladyblog, _ and even authored an opinion piece suggesting that the feline hero didn’t get the respect he deserved from the city.

Ladybug found herself feeling more  _ hurt _ by that than she should.

“Let me guess: Chat Noir learned that you’re Rena Rouge, and now you’re  _ buddies?” _ Ladybug said, sounding far more hostile than she intended.

“My _friendship_ with Chat Noir doesn’t matter here!” Alya looked deeply offended, “I think I’d have opposed you _stealing _his Miraculous even before I got to know him!”

Ladybug blinked, momentarily stunned by Alya’s choice of words. Apparently Chat and Alya were close enough that Alya was willing to consider the two of them  _ friends, _ a label that almost certainly didn’t apply to Ladybug right now. Meaning that, in the last three months, Chat Noir had managed to win over her single biggest fan.

“You… know Chat Noir personally?” Ladybug asked, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice.

“Not  _ well.”  _ Alya sounded defensive now, “He saved my life from the Reaper, and he came to see me the next day. It was a good talk.”

“And yet you know him well enough to  _ completely _ take his side here.”

“Oh,  _ fuck off!”  _ Alya snapped, startling Ladybug, “The only reason you think I’m ‘taking his side’ is because you’re just writing him off!”

Both girls were practically yelling now, and Ladybug was conscious in the back of her mind of the fact that Alya’s family actually  _ lived  _ here. But that was the back of her mind. In the front of her mind, Ladybug was getting more and more  _ furious _ with the complete lack of support she was getting from Alya here. Maybe she had more of a point than Ladybug wanted to admit… or maybe Marinette was just tired of people telling her she was  _ wrong. _

“That’s not fair!” Ladybug fought, bristling in anger, “His identity is  _ lost! _ What the hell am I supposed to do if Hawkmoth gets his hand on that ring?”

“And what is  _ he  _ supposed to do when his supposed  _ partner _ turns her back on him without so much as a warning?”   
  


“You think I  _ want  _ to do this!?” Ladybug stood up, and Alya’s eyes immediately widened, “Do you think this is  _ easy _ for me?”

Alya looked  _ scared  _ of her, and it was that observation that pushed Marinette even farther over the edge. After  _ everything _ Ladybug had done… both for the city Alya lived in, and for Alya  _ personally, _ the girl was looking at her like she was  _ unhinged. _ It was beyond insulting, and Ladybug wasn’t going to put up with it.

“You have no  _ idea _ what it means to be Ladybug!” Ladybug hissed at Alya, shaking her head in anger, “You know something? The first day I put on these earrings, our first day of school… I tried to give them to  _ you, _ Alya, because I somehow thought that you were more worthy of them!” Marinette cringed at the memory, “I confused your  _ stupidity  _ in chasing that monster with heroism.”

I slipped them in your bag without you-” Ladybug paused, eyes widening in horror as she realized just how much she was giving away.

“M-Marinette?” Alya’s jaw dropped.

A thousand different emotions flew around Marinette’s mind at that moment. She was horrified that her identity had been discovered, furious at herself for letting it happen, and somehow…  _ relieved, _ as surprising at it was. Despite the dangers of  _ anybody _ knowing who Ladybug really was, she had to admit that Marinette Dupain-Cheng finally having  _ zero _ secrets from Alya Cesaire was a good feeling, on some level.

But mostly? Marinette was  _ terrified _ of what Alya might say or do with the new revelation,  _ especially _ considering how she’d caught Ladybug mid-rant.

_ “Show me.” _ Alya’s voice was tight, and Ladybug was frozen for a second. However, Marinette quickly decided that if the jig was up anyways… there was no reason to stay transformed.

“Spots off…” Marinette whispered.

“I don’t believe it…” Alya’s face was filled with awe as Ladybug dismissed her transformation, and Marinette took the heroine’s place. Tikki swirled out of the earrings, looking between the two girls with a deeply  _ anxious  _ expression.

“Well… believe it.” Marinette said with a forced smile, but Alya’s face was completely stoic.

Marinette looked around the room, as if looking away from her best friend would somehow make this situation less awkward than it already was. In doing so, Marinette ended up making eye contact with Tikki, who looked even less pleased about the situation than either of them. Marinette could only  _ imagine _ the lecture she was going to get later,  _ especially _ when Wayzz found out that a civilian had learned her identity.

Truth be told, Marinette was far from proud of it herself. In her angry  _ rant, _ designed to shut down Alya’s position, Ladybug had given up her secret identity. Admittedly, it was nowhere  _ near _ as bad as Chat Noir leaking his identity to Mayura, but it still wasn’t good.

“You-” Alya finally spoke, and caught herself, “All this time, my  _ best friend _ has been the one behind the mask… All this time, and you never-”

“Keeping it secret wasn’t her idea.” Tikki chimed in, much to Marinette’s surprise, “She  _ wanted  _ to tell you, but  _ I  _ stopped her.”

As surprised as she was by it, Marinette appreciated her companion’s defence. The scolding she was about to get from Alya… it was going to sting, and Tikki taking some of the heat was more than Marinette would have hoped for. Tikki’s defence was also  _ true, _ as Marinette had wanted to tell Alya about her identity on more than one occasion.

“And you are?” Alya questioned the red kwami.

“Tikki.” Tikki explained, fluttering over to properly address the girl. “It’s nice to  _ actually _ meet you… even though I think I know you pretty well already, seeing as I-”

“Seeing as you’re in Marinette’s bag every time we talk?” Alya finished, and Tikki simply nodded in response.

The silence in the room was deafening, as Tikki, Alya, and Marinette stared awkwardly at one another. As Tikki had just pointed out, the three of them had been together countless times, but Alya had  _ never _ been aware that a third being was listening in. Marinette had to admit, she might find that equally as uncomfortable as finding out that her best friend had been lying to her for over a year now.

“Well, I guess that explains it.” Alya smiled.

“Explains what?” Marinette blinked.

“The way you’re always pulling a disappearing act!” Alya actually laughed, in a completely  _ happy _ way, without any sarcasm, “The way you lashed out at me three months ago, and I thought you had  _ no reason _ for it! Girl… you’re a fucking superhero!”

And in spite of everything that was going on, between secret identities and a partner potentially turning on her, Marinette was just a normal girl in that moment. A normal girl, that found herself laughing along with her best friend at just how  _ ridiculous _ this situation really was.

She could worry about what Wayzz thought tomorrow. She could figure out what to do with Chat Noir on an even later date. Marinette couldn’t help herself: she rushed forwards and embraced Alya, unable to stop the tears of relief from pouring down her face.

“Easy… easy!” Alya laughed, gently removing her best friend, “I’m not letting you off  _ that  _ easy. I want to know  _ everything, _ from the beginning.”

**********

Chat Noir was sitting, knees up to his chin, staring out at the vast expanse of the city below him.

After what seemed like  _ hours _ of silence in the ‘basement’ Mayura had shown him, Chat Noir had finally decided to leave, heading for the roof. The Agreste Mansion wasn’t particularly tall, but it still afforded him an enviable view of Paris at night. He’d originally planned on returning to his room… but Plagg might be the  _ last  _ person he wanted to talk to right now. Chat Noir needed somewhere to  _ think, _ without anybody else bothering him.

There was a  _ lot _ to think about, and that was putting it mildly. The powerlessness of his situation was bringing him to a very natural  _ frustration, _ as he realized that there was very little he could do against Mayura while she held his identity. And as much as he wanted to channel his anger at her… he instead found himself thinking more and more about Gabriel Agreste.

Adrien had spent so long wishing for his mother’s return… only to learn that she had been resting almost directly beneath him for the last  _ year. _ He briefly entertained the notion that Mayura was framing his father, and that Gabriel Agreste had no idea about the massive chamber beneath the mansion he’d personally designed, but there was virtually no chance of that being true.

Chat Noir’s fist tightened, as he realized that his father  _ had _ to have known about all of this. Mayura had mentioned documents on his computer, the elevator and chamber couldn’t have existed without his father’s knowledge and permission. As much as he wanted to write another excuse for his absent father, and pretend that he’d be just as surprised as Adrien, the boy knew that he’d been manipulated yet again.

“Father…  _ how could you do this?” _ Chat Noir whispered rhetorically into the night.

Chat Noir quickly decided that Gabriel Agreste would be answering that question  _ very  _ soon. Any doubts that he may have had about going to Marseilles this weekend vanished in an  _ instant. _ His father wasn’t going to escape this conversation… Adrien  _ would _ learn the truth, one way or another. He was done being kept in the dark.

Apparently, Gabriel had tried ‘everything’ to bring his wife back, as Mayura had put it. Meaning that the wealthy designer had ultimately  _ given up _ on his goal, and fled the city. Which meant that the  _ only _ way Emilie Agreste would ever return was with his ring, and Ladybug’s earrings…

_ Great power exists to be wielded, not ignored. _ Mayura’s words played back in his memory, and Chat Noir’s brow furrowed. If Mayura was telling him the truth about the Miraculous (and he wasn’t sure she was), then Ladybug and Fu owed him a  _ huge _ explanation, almost as much as his father did. If there was truly no cost to using the Miraculous… Adrien had no reason to refuse Mayura’s offer. She had offered both Hawkmoth’s Miraculous and her own, and said that Adrien could be the one to use the Miraculous together.

If Mayura’s offer was true… Adrien could have his mother back. The two of them could play piano together again, and he could introduce her to his girlfriend. It was something that Adrien  _ desperately _ wanted, even if Chat Noir was supposed to serve a greater good. But if using that power came without a cost… would there be  _ anything _ wrong with bringing his mother back?

Could he even go back to his regular life? Chat Noir turned Mayura down, and she told him that she’d move along with her plans either way. In fact, she’d openly threatened his family, and everybody he cared about. Mayura had even threatened-

Chat Noir’s eyes widened, and he  _ immediately _ leaped off of the mansion’s roof. Mayura had threatened  _ Marinette!  _ His own girlfriend… she was in danger! He had to get to the Dupain-Cheng bakery as soon as possible. Chat Noir vaulted across the city at speeds he’d never thought  _ possible  _ until now. He jumped when necessary, and sprinted across the Parisian rooftops with pinpoint accuracy, never missing a step

“Come on Marinette…  _ please _ be okay!” Chat Noir said aloud, as he rounded the last corner and began to approach his girlfriend’s house.

If something had happened to Marinette… Adrien had no idea  _ what  _ he would do.

The bakery got closer and closer with each passing second, and Chat Noir finally landed on top of the balcony with one final leap once he was close enough. Without so much as pausing to look both ways, he  _ yanked _ the trapdoor to her bedroom open, and prepared to jump straight on in…

...only to be reminded that Marinette’s bed was directly below the trapdoor, nearly giving the boy a heart attack as he caught himself from landing directly on top of his girlfriend. 

Chat Noir looked down at the bed, and let out a sigh of relief as he noticed a mass underneath the blankets. Marinette was still safe… for the time being. Fortunately, and to his vague concern, she was a heavy enough sleeper to not notice somebody forcefully opening her trapdoor in the middle of the night, but he wasn’t complaining. He allowed himself a weak smile, as he gently shut the door again.

Marinette was safe for now… but what about tomorrow night? And the night after?

Chat Noir sat down at a table the Dupain-Cheng’s had left atop the balcony, and stared out into the night. It was the view that Marinette could see every night… and Adrien realized that he’d probably give his life to keep it that way. He thought about her smile, and the way her eyes lit up whenever she noticed him. It was his first relationship like this, and he knew he was getting ahead of himself, but Adrien could  _ never _ see himself leaving her.

If Mayura ever took Marinette hostage, and demanded his Miraculous in exchange for her life, Adrien would probably do it. It was something that Plagg would  _ never _ approve of, and Ladybug would never forgive him for, but that didn’t really change anything in his mind. No matter the cost… Adrien  _ needed _ to make sure that didn’t happen.

As much as Chat Noir wanted to stand guard over the Dupain-Cheng bakery, he realized that he should probably get out of here. He still didn’t want to talk to Plagg, but it wasn’t like that was a conversation he could escape forever. Chat Noir had to go back to being Adrien at some point, and this whole situation wasn’t something he could tackle alone.

_ “Shit.” _ Chat Noir said, as he realized that his own room had been proven unsafe on two different occasions now. He needed somewhere safe that he could transform back, and  _ sleep _ without fear of Mayura snatching his Miraculous.

Fortunately, Adrien realized that he had an answer to  _ that _ question, and allowed himself just the smallest of smiles as he began vaulting towards his new destination. He was going to be spending this night in the lap of luxury, actually.

**********

“Miss Chloe?” Chloe looked up in annoyance, as her butler entered the living room, “You have a guest asking to see you.”

“Tell Sabrina that I’m still mad at her.” Chloe shook her head, and went back to looking at the  _ dumb _ history project Marinette still insisted that she get done. It was  _ ridiculous, _ really. For whatever the reason, Sabrina still  _ refused _ to do this project for her. After Chloe had  _ promised _ to buy her a new scarf to replace that  _ dreadful _ rag she currently wore. She had a lot of nerve showing up now, especially since-

“It isn’t Miss Sabrina.” The butler said, sounding equally as surprised, “It’s a boy, actually.”

Chloe arched a skeptical eyebrow, but immediately marched towards the door nonetheless. Adrien practically  _ never _ dropped by anymore, and  _ especially _ not as late as this. It probably wasn’t Kim… after all, he’d given up on her ever since he found himself some swimmer girl that Chloe could never remember the name of. So unless this was some delivery she’d forgotten about, she had absolutely no idea who-

“Hey Chloe.” Adrien’s somewhat nervous voice greeted her, and the blonde girl found herself  _ even more  _ surprised.

“Adrien?” Chloe blinked, “You  _ never _ visit anymore! What are you doing all the way out here?” She frowned, deep in thought, but her eyes quickly lit up, “Don’t tell me you’ve broken up with Marinette, and need a quick rebound-”

“Not happening.” Adrien said hastily, and still looked uncomfortable, “Look… I was just wondering if you might have a spare room. I kind of need somewhere to spend a couple of nights, at least until-”

_ “Wait.” _ Chloe frowned, as she looked around behind the blond boy, “Where’s your bodyguard?”

Adrien’s eyes widened in panic, but Chloe didn’t waste any time. She quickly reached into the hallway, yanking him inside and slamming the door behind them, much to Adrien’s shock. Chloe looked around, thankful that her butler had exited the area for the time being. Clearly, this was a conversation that the two of them needed to have  _ privately. _

“Don’t tell me.” Chloe said, “You’re running away… aren’t you?”   
  


Chloe had to admit that she was impressed. Adrien, as much as she really did care for the boy, was very easily taken advantage of. His father had convinced him to more or less  _ completely _ obey his authority, without question, in a horrifying reversal of Chloe’s own situation with her father. And while Adrien did occasionally argue for what he wanted, such as when he  _ insisted _ on going to school, he largely just did as he was told.

And given the way that Chloe conducted her life… that way being the complete and utter destruction of all those who wouldn’t bend to her will, Chloe found Adrien’s entire personality to be a complete  _ mystery, _ one that she wasn’t especially interested in solving.

“Not exactly.” Adrien was hesitant, “I have to sneak back into my room in the morning, actually. I just can’t sleep there for now.”

“That… makes absolutely no sense.” Chloe blinked in confusion, “If you’re willing to show your face there, then why-”

“Just trust me on this one.” Adrien interrupted, his voice tight, “I’ll owe you  _ big time _ if you can just hook me up for a couple of nights.”

And now Chloe was even  _ more  _ confused. What sort of temper tantrum was this? The whole point of ‘running away’ was to terrify your father into thinking he’d lost you, without actually subjecting yourself to the horrors of the world. If anything, Adrien was trying to do the  _ opposite, _ running away without actually making anybody panic.

But Chloe admired his resolve, as confusing as it was. As much as she  _ delighted _ in making other people’s business her own, Adrien did seem genuinely distraught right now, and she supposed there would be no harm in giving him what he was asking for.

“Well, if ‘owe me big time’ includes breaking up with that  _ tramp-” _

“Within reason.” Adrien rolled his eyes, and Chloe smirked.

“We have an extra bedroom.” Chloe said, directing him down the hallway, “If anybody has a problem with it, just direct them to me.”

It was an odd request, Chloe had to admit, but there shouldn’t be any problems. Even if Chloe’s father took issue, it wouldn’t be hard to get him back in line. It didn’t solve the mystery of  _ why _ Adrien needed to stay here, but Chloe wasn’t complaining. If she was lucky, she’d catch a glimpse of him after his shower, or before he-

“Thanks Chlo.” Adrien said, granting her a winning smile, and was about to walk away when she put a hand on his shoulder.

“Not so fast.” She said, and dragged him to the living room, where she stuck a pile of notebooks and textbooks into his arms.

“What is-” Adrien blinked, looking down at them in confusion.

“Consider this  _ rent.” _ Chloe said with a devious smile, “Run along now; my project isn’t going to ace itself, you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapter today, hope you don't mind. Really hoping to get the plot rolling next update (I know, 19 chapters in, but we're getting there), so stay tuned!


	18. Departure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette set off on their next adventure: to Hawkmoth's Mediterranean hideaway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Between the first and second segments, there's a pretty blatant time jump. I wanted to include the first segment in the last chapter, but it really didn't fit.

“Adrien…?” Plagg’s voice was soft, and his eyes anxious, as he watched his charge shut the door to their newfound bedroom.

As often as the hotel was demolished in akuma attacks, Chloe’s father really did devote the time and money to making it one of the best in Paris, which was itself known as a luxury capital of the  _ world. _ It’d be nice if he spent that amount of time being an effective mayor, or even raising his daughter properly, but Plagg had to give credit where credit was due. The room was snappy, the sheets were soft, and the whole place exuded a certain  _ high class _ feeling that Plagg hadn’t really experienced since he’d lived with  _ actual _ royalty in the middle ages. 

Because as wealthy and powerful as Gabriel Agrest might be… he clearly had  _ nothing _ on Andre Bourgeois. 

“I’m guessing it’s time to figure out where I screwed everything up?” Adrien sighed, sitting down at the edge of the king-sized bed and looking at Plagg with a certain  _ tiredness _ that somebody his age shouldn’t have. He’d set Chloe’s project on the nightstand, and Plagg was honestly surprised he hadn’t just dropped it on the floor.

“Well, as much as I’d love to read off all of your mistakes, I think there’s more important stuff to talk about.” Plagg landed on the boy’s knee, looking up at him curiously.

“Like what?” Adrien shook his head, not meeting his kwami’s eyes, “We might be safe for now, but Mayura’s not going to stop coming after me.”

“No she won’t.” Plagg agreed, “But I think you’re selling yourself short.”

“You don’t mean that.” Adrien sounded annoyed now, “Look at all the things that have gone wrong. I-”

“You held your ground!” Plagg interrupted, not allowing Adrien to finish that self-loathing rant, “Adrien… a supervillain offered you your mother back, and played at every insecurity she  _ somehow _ knows about to get you to abandon Ladybug and everything else you believe in. And yet, here you are, finding a way to sneak around it all.”

Plagg really meant it: he was more than slightly impressed. From the moment Adrien transformed into Chat Noir, Plagg was very much planted inside the boy’s head, getting a front row seat at the sheer  _ turmoil _ he felt at everything Mayura held over him. At more than one point, Plagg had been  _ certain _ that Adrien was going to succumb, but it simply hadn’t happened.

“And I’m going to lose everything anyways.” Adrien said, “Mayura can  _ still _ attack the people I love, even if I’m  _ personally _ out of her reach.”

“You’re  _ definitely _ going to lose with that attitude.” Plagg challenged.

“And don’t think that  _ you’re  _ off the hook.” Adrien fixed Plagg with an accusatory look, and he stood back up, forcing the kwami off of his knee, “I heard what Mayura said about combining the Miraculous… is it true?”

“It’s not that simple.” Plagg said tightly, cringing internally, “Mayura doesn’t understand-”

“Do not  _ bullshit _ me, Plagg.” Adrien snapped, cutting him off, “It’s a simple question: was the blue-feathered supervillain  _ lying _ to me?  _ Or. Was. She. Telling. The. Truth?” _

Plagg blinked, thoroughly caught off by Adrien’s surge of anger. Plagg supposed it was obvious where it came from; Adrien was left wondering whether or not there was a real reason to stop his mother from coming back, but Plagg had  _ never _ seen Adrien get this upset with him. They’d certainly argued a lot in the past,  _ especially _ when the Reaper kidnapped Kagami, but this was different. Plagg had to admit that something he was  _ unnerving, _ and he couldn’t quite place a finger on it. Almost like it reminded him of somebody.

“It wasn’t…” Plagg took a deep breath, composing himself, “Mayura didn’t ‘make it up,’ if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Explain.” Adrien demanded with a frown.

“Using the Miraculous together is no walk in the park.” Plagg said, landing on the nightstand as he chose his words carefully, “If Tikki and I are used properly, then Mayura was absolutely right: there’s no cost. But when they’re used improperly…” Plagg shook his head, “We’re talking  _ dimension-shattering _ consequences-”

“So Ladybug  _ lied _ to me.” Adrien said coldly, shaking his head in a barely-concealed  _ fury, _ “There’s no ‘tradeoff’ to maintain balance. Master Fu really is just trying to keep us from using them. I have no real reason to not save my mother.”

If only Adrien knew how  _ ignorant _ that statement was, he wouldn’t be saying it. Plagg’s eyes narrowed; Adrien couldn’t even  _ begin _ to understand how dangerous it was to misuse the Miraculous. It was literally beyond the capacity of mortal beings to grasp, but Adrien didn’t seem interested in listening to Plagg’s warnings.

“Don’t be so quick to dismiss Master Fu.” Plagg fought, feeling himself grow more and more angry at his charge, “I’ll have you know that an equivalent trade is  _ exactly _ what happened last time somebody tried to use that power.”

This seemed to catch Adrien’s attention.

“Crazy, huh?” Plagg said bitterly, and paused to consider how he should approach this  _ particular  _ story,  _ “Somebody, _ let’s call him  _ Chang, _ thought he could restore a village slaughtered in a massacre before he was born. He did it, and in doing so… the people Chang lived with, the ones he  _ tricked _ into giving him the Miraculous… they all  _ died.” _

Plagg could still remember the  _ warmth _ he felt, getting combined with Tikki. It was a truly incredible feeling, like no other, but it almost  _ always _ came at too great a cost. In the case of Chang… an entire  _ settlement _ was destroyed. Chang had been young and foolish, and good-hearted like no other. But it was his naive actions that cost the lives of so many innocent people. Far from the worst tragedy Plagg had witnessed across the course of human history, but it was worth mentioning now.

“That’s…” Adrien looked  _ torn _ again, “I didn’t realize-”

“Of course you didn’t.” Plagg supplied, “Which is why you should probably leave this sort of stuff to the experts…. Like yours truly.”

“But the power of the Miraculous  _ has _ worked before?” Adrien demanded, “What was it Mayura said? You need to have a strong mind-”

“A strong will, a spirit in balance, and a  _ resilient _ mind.” Plagg corrected him, “Mayura didn’t get it right either. Almost like she’s an unqualified  _ hack _ that heard a few things from another unqualified hack like Hawkmoth without really understanding them.”

“I see.” Adrien nodded, “Don’t I have all three of those things?”

“Oh, I see we’re humble today-”

_ “Plagg.” _

_ “Probably!” _ Plagg snapped irritably, “But that doesn’t mean we just start dicking around with absolute power!”

Plagg internally cringed, realizing that he should  _ not _ have said that. Even if he actively discouraged it, telling Adrien that he was most likely capable of wielding the Miraculous was  _ bound _ to cause trouble. Even if Adrien ultimately made the right choice here (and Plagg was confident that he would), the knowledge that he had the capacity to save his mother was almost certain to mess with him for a very long time.

“I see…” Adrien did indeed look bothered.

“Don’t you have schoolwork to do?” Plagg deflected weakly, gesturing at the work Chloe had dumped on him, “I can’t imagine the blonde will be happy if you shirk.”

“I’m sure she won’t.”

“Better get to it then.” Plagg said, and flew back over to the dresser, “While you worry about that, I think  _ I’ll _ check out what’s in the hotel refrigerator. If Andre Bourgeois spent  _ half  _ as much care on the cheese selection as he did on this room… I should be in for a real treat.”

“Be back by morning.” Adrien wasn’t looking at Plagg, and barely seemed to hear him.

“Well… goodnight then.” Plagg said, and waited awkwardly for a response that didn’t come.

**********

“Care to give me a hand?” Marinette’s voice was slightly impatient, but not completely unkind, as she struggled to lift both of her bags at once.

“Oh… I’ll think about it.” Alya decided to tease, as she took one of her best friend’s bags nonetheless, “After all, I think that a literal  _ superhero _ should be able to lift more than one piece of luggage at the same time.” The two of them began to descend the ladder out of Marinette’s room, both struggling to keep the luggage from dropping.

“Hardy-har.” Marinette rolled her eyes as she reached the family’s living room, “You know we’re not supposed to talk about that.”

Alya knew, but it wasn’t like she could just  _ ignore _ the fact. It had taken every  _ fiber _ of Alya’s being to not spend the rest of the week harassing Marinette for every detail of her double life, and answers to every question the young reporter might have about how everything superhero-related might actually work. But given how serious Marinette’s mental state was, Alya had done her best to keep the prying to a minimum.

She’d wondered for a long time what caused Marinette’s mysterious absences; after all, the stories Marinette used to cook up were always  _ laughably _ false. Unfortunately for their friendship, however, Alya stopped laughing after a while, and the secrets between them began to seriously impair their relationship.

But beyond just what it meant for their friendship… Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug! For over a year now, ever since the spotted heroine had made her debut in Paris, Alya had spent a significant portion of her time agonizing over who the girl behind the mask could be. She’d ended up deciding that it had to be a girl roughly her age fairly early on, but Alya would’ve  _ never _ guessed that her own best friend was the one. That Ladybug, for all her valor, was the first friend she’d made since moving to Paris.

“But since we’re already on the topic: the box is  _ safe,  _ right?” Marinette looked both ways before speaking, presumably to make sure that her parents weren’t around.

“Should be.” Alya nodded, feeling somewhat nervous at the reminder of her newfound responsibility.

And  _ that _ was perhaps the largest set of details. Marinette was heading for Marseilles with Adrien for the weekend, and was trusting Alya with… the Miracle box. A term Alya hadn’t ever expected to learn, and found herself in awe at the sight of. All of the Miraculous, other than those controlled by the active wielders (both good and evil) were contained within, making its security Alya’s  _ top _ priority for the next few days.

Well, there was  _ one _ more Miraculous in play, and Alya had the necklace to prove it… 

_ “You  _ don’t worry about a thing.” Trixx said confidently, emerging from Marinette’s room above, “Just enjoy your trip, and then send Hawkmoth and his goons packing once you get back!”

The first thing Alya had learned about Trixx was that she was incredibly sneaky. It was to be expected, given just how small a kwami really was, but it still blew Alya’s mind just how easily Trixx was able to slip from place to place undetected. It reached the point that Alya had absolutely  _ no idea _ whether or not the small fox was with her, and Trixx seemed to like it that way. 

The kwami seemed to get a kick out of confusing Alya… but also had a powerful sense of  _ duty _ that Alya hadn’t expected. A split personality for the manifestation of  _ illusion _ seemed fairly obvious in retrospect, but Alya still found herself with a lot more questions than answers.

“Why couldn’t  _ you _ have been the one I left activated.” Marinette muttered, in reference to Trixx’s accepting attitude, “How on Earth did I end up stuck with  _ Wayzz?” _

Alya was certainly struggling to keep up with all of the names and terminology, but it was hard to forget that Wayzz was the turtle kwami. Mostly because Marinette almost  _ never _ missed a chance to take a shot at him. It was for precisely that reason that Alya had decided it would be best to leave Wayzz back at her apartment while she saw Marinette off to Marseilles.

“Surely he wasn’t  _ that _ bad.” Alya snorted, and Marinette gave her a look.

“I promise he was.” Trixx laughed deviously, and landed on Alya’s shoulder, “Ah… if only I could’ve seen the look on his face when he found out about all of this.”

“About me learning Marinette’s identity?”

“It was  _ awful.” _ Marinette sat down on her couch, flopping with a defeatist  _ sigh, _ “I swear… I’d have never thought I’d get a lecture worse than the time I ruined my parent’s Easter catering, but here we are.”

“He means well, Marinette.” Tikki, the ladybug kwami, fluttered out of Marinette’s purse, “I know he can be  _ difficult, _ but he’s just trying to keep everybody safe.”

“He has a funny way of showing it.” Marinette grumbled in response.

_ Secret identities. _ Alya kept her thoughts private, but she felt very strongly about the topic. Obviously, keeping a hero’s secret from the public was  _ essential, _ and the only way of guaranteeing safety from both hostile attackers and adoring fans. But when it came to one’s  _ personal _ life, and a heroine’s family and friends… Alya found herself feeling the exact opposite way. She’d almost lost her friendship with Marinette over that secret, and Ladybug’s relationship with Chat Noir seemed to be collapsing as well.

More simply, secret identities seemed to be a lot more trouble than they were worth.

“Well, I’ll do my best not to create a superhero army while you’re gone.” Alya teased, trying her best to make the conversation more light again as she sat down on a recliner next to Marinette.

_ “Only _ if there’s an emergency.” Marinette said sternly, “If there’s an attack,  _ call _ me-”

“-I’ll call you right away.” Alya nodded in affirmation, “And until you get back-”

“-You have my permission to call in Carapace and Queen Bee.” Marinette finished, and gave Alya a soft smile, “I’m sure it won’t come to that.”

Marinette’s confidence was certainly comforting, but Alya had to admit she was a bit uneasy. As much as Alya would be excited to take up the mantle of Rena Rouge again, she’d never gone into battle without Ladybug at her side before. Hawkmoth was unlikely to do anything over the weekend, given just how absent he’d been over the last three months, but Ladybug’s conversation with Chat Noir proved that the villains were still active nonetheless. 

Speaking of the city’s other hero...

“Chat Noir will be there too.” Alya said confidently, mostly to test the waters a bit, “Together, the four of us shouldn’t have any problems.”

“Yes, of course.” Marinette said hastily, but it was clear that the mention of her partner’s name was enough to sour her mood a bit.

Honestly, Alya had no idea what to do about that. As Rena Rouge, and as Marinette’s best friend, Alya wanted to help seal the gap between the two heroes. Both of them had  _ genuine _ grievances with one another, that were becoming more and more obvious as time went on. But Alya never got the impression that their relationship couldn’t be mended. The two of them had worked together without major issues for over a year now, and there  _ had _ to be a way to restore that.

Well, unless Marinette gave in to Wayzz’s demands, and tried to take Chat Noir’s Miraculous. But that was a topic Alya figured was best saved for once her friend returned from Marseilles.

“Well, Prince Charming should be arriving here any minute now, shouldn’t he?” Alya picked up her piece of luggage again, prompting Marinette to also rise, “We wouldn’t want you to be late for the ball…”

“Never would’ve thought I’d  _ look forward _ to seeing Gabriel Agreste.” Marinette shook her head in bewilderment as they began to march down the stairs to the bakery, “But I really do need a break from all of this.”

“Just make sure you don’t do anything I wouldn’t do while you’re alone with your supermodel boyfriend.” Alya teased, and Marinette rolled her eyes again.

“Between the two of us and our relationships, remind me who’s been caught making out in the janitor’s closet?” Marinette poked back, and Alya reddened a bit at the memory.

It had been a long day, and far from Alya and Nino’s finest moment. They’d snuck off during a study hall, not realizing that Ms. Bustier and the janitor  _ both _ saw them enter the closet together, along with what was apparently  _ dozens _ of other students. The call to Alya’s mother was humiliating, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen such an uncomfortable expression on Mr. Damocles’s face before.

_ “Once.” _ Alya insisted, and Marinette looked smug.

“Well, you’ll probably get to keep that lead.” Marinette said, “Because I can’t imagine there’ll be that much ‘alone time’ for the two of us anyways.”

“Well, make sure you don’t get caught if it does happen.” Alya warned, “I don’t think your Dad would be too happy with Adrien if-”

“Why wouldn’t I be happy with Adrien?” Mr. Dupain’s voice startled both of them, as they were about to exit the bakery.

For a man roughly seven times the mass of his daughter, Alya had to admit that Tom Dupain was fairly light on his feet. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be actually interested in their conversation, as he quickly took the opportunity to give his daughter one final goodbye hug, and offer to carry her luggage outside. Alya glanced outside, and was surprised to see that Adrien was running a couple of minutes late.

“You already said goodbye to your mother?” Mr. Dupain interrogated, and Marinette nodded in affirmation, “You’ve packed warm enough clothes?”

“We better wait outside.” Alya sent Marinette a lifeline, and the girl took the opportunity to slip away from her father’s questioning.

“I better not keep him waiting.” Marinette said sheepishly, and Tom fixed her with a serious expression.

“Stay safe, Marinette.” He said, and his daughter gave a slightly dismissive nod before walking out into the December cold with Alya.

**********

“I still disagree with all of this, but I understand your decision.” Kagami said, as she and Adrien walked out the door of the Agreste Mansion together. The December weather was finally catching up to them, and Kagami found herself shivering as she folded her arms together for warmth. It wasn’t snowing yet, fortunately, but the weekend forecast certainly allowed for such a possibility.

Adrien was going to Marseilles, to see his father and his grandparents. It would just be for the weekend, and Kagami had decided that it would be polite to drop by and see him off, despite her mother’s objections.

“I have to do this.” Adrien nodded in affirmation, as the two of them sat down on the front steps of the mansion. Adrien’s bodyguard was yet to bring the car up front.

Kagami thought that Chat Noir leaving Paris at a time like this was borderline  _ negligent, _ but it wasn’t as ridiculously insecure as it had first sounded. Ever since this past Tuesday, when Mayura visited Adrien for the second time, the two of them had worked together to brainstorm some ideas for what to do if things went south back in Paris. And while Kagami would still prefer Chat Noir’s physical presence… their precautions were an acceptable compromise.

“Here’s the envelope.” Adrien passed her the vital document, and Kagami somberly accepted it, “I hope you don’t need it.”

“It is what it is.” Kagami nodded, “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

When Adrien was silent, Kagami snuck another look back at the Agreste Mansion. From what Adrien had told her… his  _ mother _ was underneath the massive structure. And if Mayura was to be believed, then Gabriel Agreste was the one who had put her there. With those details taken into consideration, Kagami fully understood Adrien’s desire to confront his father. He deserved  _ answers _ for the years of lies Gabriel had been spoon-feeding him since the day his mother had first ‘disappeared.’

But for as much as Adrien told her, Kagami got the distinct feeling that he hadn’t shared  _ everything _ that had happened that night.

“Marinette will be with me.” Adrien said, and Kagami assumed it was mostly for himself, “You’ll have that envelope, and I have another way of keeping Nino safe.”

“I’ll be watching Nathalie.” Kagami supplied, “And if anything happens to her-”

“-you open that envelope.” Adrien finished, “And  _ call me _ right away, if there’s any trouble at all.”

The two of them had briefly entertained the idea of Adrien leaving his ring behind, in Kagami’s care. That way, if push came to shove, Kagami could assume the role of Chat Noir until Adrien’s return, giving Ladybug backup. Plagg had downright  _ refused _ to even consider such a plan, reacting with anger neither Adrien nor Kagami was prepared for. He’d said something about how Adrien was “chosen for a reason,” and he couldn’t just bestow that power on others at will.

And while Kagami had no reason to doubt that explanation, she had to admit she was curious to know what it would be like, wielding a power like that.

“You stay safe yourself.” Kagami reminded him, “I have no doubt that Mayura  _ knows _ what you’re up to. We’ve essentially confirmed that she’s watching you.”

“I doubt she wants to go on a road trip.” Adrien said with a chuckle, “But I’ll keep my eyes peeled, just to be safe.”

“You should  _ always _ be looking out for danger.” Kagami said, and both teens stood up as they saw Adrien’s bodyguard round the corner in a black sedan. It was different from the usual vehicle Adrien rode in, presumably with better mileage and proper accommodations for a longer trip like the several hour voyage to Marseilles.

“Well… I guess this is it.” Adrien gave her a somewhat anxious look, “I guess I’ll be seeing you on Monday, if all goes according to plan.”

“Stay safe, fencing girl.” Plagg’s voice came from inside of Adrien’s suitcase, but the kwami didn’t emerge.

“Send Gabriel my  _ regards.” _ Kagami made no attempt to conceal the contempt in her voice, prompting Adrien to snort in agreement.

“Oh I will.” He said, and began to walk towards the sedan.

Kagami gave a polite wave to Adrien’s bodyguard, as the oversized man opened up the trunk for Adrien to set down his suitcase. He simply nodded in response, while Adrien shot her a winning smile as he climbed into the backseat. Kagami found herself feeling more  _ sad _ than concerned about Adrien’s departure, as much as it pained her to admit it. 

She supposed it made sense: The boy had turned down her advances, and was leaving town with the girl he’d ended up choosing instead. And while Kagami  _ always _ made sure to keep such petty emotions as jealousy in check… it still pained her to see. It wasn’t the most  _ mature _ outlook on the situation, but Kagami tried to win Adrien’s affections in the same way she fought for victory in any other situation: hard work. And if there was one flaw Kagami was  _ sure _ she’d never get past, it was that she  _ hated _ losing.

“Miss Tsurugi.” Nathalie’s voice caught Kagami’s attention. She turned to see the assistant closing the doors to the mansion, walking forwards to watch as the black sedan left the property. It ventured out into the streets of Paris, presumably not returning until Monday. Kagami assumed that Nathalie was here to oversee Adrien’s departure.

“Nathalie.” Kagami nodded, and the two women stood side by side for a moment.

Kagami had only interacted with Mr. Agreste’s assistant on a handful of occasions, and generally found herself impressed. Nathalie Sancoeur had the aura of a professional woman, perfect for Gabriel Agreste’s right hand. But despite her overall favorable impression of the woman, Kagami found herself deeply  _ suspicious _ today. While Adrien hadn’t confronted her, both of them had discussed the possibility that Nathalie might be aware of Emilie’s condition, making her complicit in Gabriel’s lies.

But whether Nathalie was actively assisting in her boss’s schemes, or she was as unaware of them as Adrien had been, Kagami supposed that it didn’t matter. Either way, Adrien had tasked her with keeping an eye on Nathalie, as she was certainly a possible target while he was out of town.

“I take it you came to see him off?” Nathalie questioned, and Kagami nodded.

“It was a friendly gesture.” Nathalie said approvingly, and turned to walk back inside, “I must’ve just missed him walking past the office.”

“You seemed to be in a meeting.” Kagami said flatly, and Nathalie said nothing. Moments later, a click confirmed that the doors of the mansion had shut, leaving Kagami alone outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! It took wayyy more chapters than I planned, but we're finally leaving Paris, and the plot is truly beginning.


	19. Division

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya and Nino hang out, while Nathalie sets her plan into motion.

“It should only be a few minutes.” Adrien said apologetically, as the two of them stood awkwardly outside of the black sedan, waiting for Adrien’s bodyguard to return.

Marinette had never actually been to Lyon before, although she’d once heard it was a ‘nice town’ from Nathaniel, who was apparently born here. Beyond that, she had to admit she knew very little about the city, or many others within France besides Paris. She wasn’t going to learn much more about it today, either, as their stop was purely for Adrien’s bodyguard to use the restroom.

They were parked on a fairly busy street, across from a small restaurant that hopefully had public restrooms (otherwise, Adrien’s bodyguard was in for a nasty surprise). On Adrien and Marinette’s side of the road, the sidewalk ran parallel to a large railing, overlooking a gushing river below them. The two of them were leaning on said railing, looking down at the river in a vain attempt to pass the time.

“Well, maybe I’ll find some inspiration for a drawing out here.” Marinette assured him, studying the river with her artist’s eye. It was the  _ Rhône,  _ as Adrien had helpfully told her when they parked, and it appeared to be cleaner than the  _ Seine _ back in Paris. She still couldn’t see any fish beneath the water’s murky surface, but she assumed they were in there.

“I hope so.” Adrien said warmly, but Marinette couldn’t help but notice that her boyfriend was growing more and more quiet the further south they went.

Marinette had to admit: Adrien had been increasingly quiet as the week dragged on. Ever since Adrien had hugged her on Monday, he seemed to be keeping a somewhat cautious eye on Marinette, as though checking to make sure she was still there. He seemed worried, and at times  _ angry, _ even though he was clearly doing his best to keep himself in high spirits. Probably to stop Marinette from worrying, which was something she was going to do anyways.

“It won’t be long until we see dear old father.” Marinette decided that Gabriel Agreste was most likely the source of Adrien’s growing angst.

“Nothing ‘dear’ about him.” Adrien said with a snort, staring out at the river, “But yeah, there’s a lot of stuff that the two of us need to talk about. Serious stuff.”

Marinette had no idea what Adrien was referring to, but she got the distinct feeling that he probably wasn’t going to share. Marinette didn’t appreciate the secrecy, but she supposed that it really wasn’t her place to pry. It seemed  _ new, _ as his anger certainly hadn’t been there when he first offered to take her with him.

“Sounds like he’s not going to like this… talk.” Marinette noted.

“He won’t.” Adrien said flatly, and Marinette quickly realized that their discussion was over.

**********

“Woah…” Nino was clearly  _ awestruck  _ by the sight in front of him, and Alya held back a giggle at his childlike wonder.

“Let’s be careful here.” Trixx’s voice had a note of caution, “It’s okay to take a look, but make sure you don’t misplace any of them or-”

“We’re not little kids.” Nino snorted, and Trixx’s eyes narrowed, “Get a load of this!”

The container with all of the Miraculous, or the  _ Miracle Box, _ as Marinette had called it, was sitting on Alya’s bed at the moment. Alya had opened every little compartment, revealing no less than  _ fourteen  _ Miraculous, between the Bee and Turtle on the top layer and the twelve members of the Zodiac beneath them. Alya was of course wearing the Fox Necklace currently, raising the number of powerful magical artifacts inside of her apartment to  _ fifteen…  _ watching them was a responsibility Alya had accepted without question, but now found herself concerned about. Was she really qualified for this?

“I had no idea there were  _ this _ many.” Nino finally said, reverently running his hand over what Alya believed was the Rabbit Miraculous, “Ladybug and Chat Noir were just sitting on all of these this whole time?”

“Something like that.” Alya nodded, “Ladybug asked me to watch them for a couple of days… she said something was going on in her civilian life.”

Alya had  _ briefly _ suggested letting Nino know Ladybug’s true identity, but Wayzz and Tikki were quick to shoot the idea down. It was bad enough that Alya had found out, they had said, and it was more important than ever to stop others from finding out. Alya had to disagree with the logic, considering that Nino was a part-time Miraculous user himself (as well as Marinette’s  _ friend), _ but she supposed that she had no place challenging their rules.

“Well, let’s hope she gets that sorted out soon.” Nino said with a nervous laugh, “Without Ladybug, this city would be  _ toast _ in an attack.”

“Hey.” Alya nudged him, “No need to sell ourselves short. Between the two of us, Chloe, and Chat Noir, we should be able to keep things under control.”

“I hope so.” Nino said with a soft shrug.

Nino didn’t look convinced, and Alya had to admit she wasn’t particularly confident herself. Without Ladybug, they had no way of actually purifying an akuma or an amok, and they wouldn’t be able to repair the city, either. Alya supposed that the four of them could probably get the upper hand on a villain, maybe find some way to contain them, but they had no way of actually finishing the job without Ladybug.

“We aren’t  _ impotent _ without Tikki, you know.” Trixx was somewhat indignant, “Throughout the ages, we’ve fought  _ many _ battles without her or Plagg’s help.”

“Probably with a wielder that used your power on more than just a bi-monthly basis.” Alya sighed, absently fingering her Miraculous.

She didn’t mean to come off as bitter, but Alya found herself questioning more and more why exactly Ladybug and Chat- well, Alya supposed it was just Ladybug and the elusive guardian who were insistent that Rena Rouge had to be a part-time heroine. While Ladybug and Chat Noir had never failed to save the day, there were certainly times where it was  _ close. _ With more heroes backing them up, surely they’d have a better chance of winning.

“I  _ definitely  _ recognize this one.” Nino said as he picked up the Turtle Miraculous, prompting a wry smile from Alya as he gave her a pleading look.

“I won’t tell Ladybug if you don’t.” Alya said, and Nino grinned as he slid the bracelet onto his right wrist.

“Something’s missing though…” Nino frowned, “Where’s the little dude?”

“You mean Wayzz?”

“Yeah, isn’t he supposed to show up whenever I put this on or something?” Nino turned his wrist over, and began poking the center of the bracelet as though it were a button.

“He’s out on his own right now.” Alya said, “He said he wanted to check out the markets to see where the ‘best cashews’ are.”

Wayzz had been very closed off since Marinette left. Alya wasn’t sure if this was how Wayzz was always like, but she somehow doubted it. Marinette had made it  _ extremely _ clear that Wayzz was something of a prude, so Alya found it odd that he would give her this much space. He’d offered her a basic ‘keep an eye on the Miraculous’ warning before leaving, but that was basically all the turtle kwami had to say.

“He eats cashews, huh?” Nino arched an eyebrow in surprise, “I mean, I got a ‘C’ in biology, but I don’t think turtles are supposed to-”

“I somehow doubt this ‘Mountain Dew’ is something humans are supposed to have.” Trixx interrupted him smugly, “And yet, it’s the only thing I’ve seen you drink.”

“Oh, lay off.” Nino rolled his eyes in annoyance, only for his face to take on a more thoughtful note, “Maybe I should start carrying around cashews though, just in case he’s ever hungry during a mission or something.”

“I think Nino’s raising the bar just a wee bit for kwami care.” Trixx turned her vapid sarcasm towards Alya.

“Yeah, because carrying around  _ yogurt _ in an unrefrigerated container is a good idea.” Alya retorted indignantly, “Why can’t you just eat something non-perishable?”   
  


The bickering continued for quite a while, but it was pretty clear that Trixx was just messing with the young couple. The fox kwami seemed to  _ love _ needling them, for whatever the reason, but Alya had to admit that she was beginning to find it strangely…  _ charming? _ It was so unlike what Alya saw from Tikki and Wayzz. Trixx could be serious when she needed to be, that much was clear. But when the situation didn’t demand it, Trixx rarely missed an opportunity for a snide remark, a quality Alya couldn’t help but respect.

“Maybe I’ll get you a thermos or something.” Alya eventually conceded, prompting another smug look from the fox kwami.

Nino and Alya both realized after a while that they’d be better served tuning out Trixx’s needling remarks, and ended up just  _ talking _ for a while, as the two of them migrated to the kitchen. Fortunately, both of Alya’s parents were out working, and her sisters were visiting their own friends, meaning they had the apartment to themselves.

It was a good feeling, to just talk with her boyfriend about regular stuff for what felt like the first time since she’d learned Marinette’s secret. Nino had insisted they check the refrigerator, and managed to thrill Trixx with some leftover yogurt. The three of them ended up crashing on the living room couch, theoretically to watch a movie or a show, but neither of them had any real ideas in mind. 

“Oh, that  _ has _ to be bullshit!” Alya couldn’t believe her ears, as Nino denied ever watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a kid, “Carapace is straight out of that cartoon!”

“I mean, maybe I saw it like once.” Nino said defensively, “It wasn’t my thing-”

“I mean, it’s a dumb show.” Alya admitted, “But you’re a fan by  _ default _ now. Where else are you going to find  _ turtles _ with superpowers?”

“I’m sure there’s some third-rate Marvel comic out there  _ somewhere.” _

“You’re missing the point.” Alya insisted, “Those turtles, for all their faults, are the closest thing you have to a pop culture icon.”

It was still barely one in the afternoon, but Alya found herself growing more and more anxious about Wayzz’s absence. She snuck a glance at the bedroom door, which she had left closed, and of course saw no sign of the turtle kwami. Maybe he didn’t want to come out while Nino was around? Surely cashew hunting didn’t take  _ this _ long.

“Eh, maybe I’ll revisit the shell dudes one of these days.” Nino said indifferently, but let out a cocky smile moments later, “No real need though, we all know Carapace would wipe the floor with all three of them.”

“You mean all  _ four _ of them.”

“Eh, it won’t matter.” Nino stretched dramatically, and Alya couldn’t help but giggle.

“That confidence is going to take you places.” Alya said, leaning her head onto his shoulder affectionately.

**********

Gabriel looked at himself in the mirror, somewhat  _ disgusted _ by the casual clothes he had donned. A patterned sweater and khakis? It was scandalous, really. Gabriel couldn’t remember the last time that he’d so actively attempted to look informal… it went against his very nature. Even while he spent time alone in the woods with Nooroo, Gabriel had done his best to remain presentable. And that was while he had nobody to impress besides the two most fashionably illiterate individuals Gabriel had ever known.

“You’re lucky I even packed these.” Gabriel said gruffly, shooting Nooroo a somewhat disdainful look, “I still can’t fathom why you’re insistent that I ‘dress down,’ but I suppose I’ll take your word for it.”

“Your son isn’t an employee.” Nooroo said with an uncharacteristic sternness, “You don’t need to wear a  _ suit _ to see him.”

“He rarely sees me any other way-”

“And that’s the problem.” Nooroo floated down, landing on the dresser in front of the mirror, fixing Gabriel with a serious expression, “You’ve said that you want to change your relationship with your son… you want to  _ fix _ it. And to do that, you’re going to have to change as well.”

Fixing his relationship with Adrien was either going to be the easiest thing Gabriel had ever done… or the  _ hardest. _ Adrien, like his mother before him, was a very forgiving person. Despite literal  _ years _ of Gabriel turning him down, Adrien had kept pushing to spend time with his father. It was rare that a week went by without Adrien actively trying to impress him, usually through one of the many skills Gabriel had instructed him to learn.

But walking out without warning and spending three months on the other side of the country was going to be hard for  _ anybody _ to forgive, even for somebody as kind-hearted as Adrien.

“I suppose you’re right.” Gabriel said stiffly, and promptly exited his bedroom. Nooroo lingered behind, probably hoping to spectate from a distance.

Adrien’s bodyguard had texted roughly five minutes ago, informing Gabriel that his son would be arriving shortly. As he marched down the stairs, Gabriel snuck another anxious look at his phone, both relieved and disappointed that he hadn’t gotten an update. It was barely noon, but the drive from Paris took several hours at least, meaning that Adrien and his girlfriend were bound to be at least a bit tired from their voyage.

“Father.” Gabriel gave a nod to David Agreste, as he sat down across the dining room table from the man that had raised him.

“Gabriel.” David nodded in return, without looking up from the newspaper he was reading, “Your mother should be down here soon. Is Adrien almost here?”

“Should be any minute now.” Gabriel said, struggling to conceal the tension creeping into his voice, “I trust the cats are well?”

“As well as one could expect.” David said with a derisive snort, “Edith and I will be going into town on Monday for a vet appointment.”

Fortunately, the older Agreste either didn’t notice his son’s concern about the situation with Adrien, or chose not to address it. It was a familiar situation, actually. For much of Gabriel’s childhood, David Agreste had chosen to present himself as disinterested in Gabriel’s life, instead focusing on his own pursuits. Despite growing up in rural France, the Agrestes had only had one child, and Gabriel was never able to shake the feeling that he was one more than they had wanted.

“You said he’s bringing a girl… Marinette?” David asked with a frown, finally looking up from his paper as he recalled the name.

“That’s her.” Gabriel said tightly, glancing anxiously at his phone again, “Apparently he started seeing her in my absence.”

“Let me guess: you don’t approve.”

“I haven’t even seen them together yet.” Gabriel sighed in exasperation.

“Think she’s a gold-digger?” David asked with a chuckle, but there was no humor in his voice. Gabriel looked up, and made split-second eye contact before David hastily looked away, clearly feigning disinterest. The older Agreste might’ve held genuine concern that Marinette was a ‘gold digger,’ or he could simply be baiting Gabriel into accusing her of something without evidence. Either way, Gabriel didn’t appreciate the question.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng… Gabriel was keeping his cards close to his chest for the time being, but he did have his concerns. This was the girl that had stolen the Miraculous spellbook from Adrien some time ago, and thrown Hawkmoth into panic. Marinette had returned the book by the end of the day, which was certainly admirable, but it suggested that the Chinese girl had a more devious,  _ calculated _ edge.

She’d shown that same intelligence when Gabriel judged a hat-designing contest for teenagers. Not only had Marinette presented what was clearly the best work in the entire contest, but Gabriel found himself impressed by the girl’s resolve in the face of  _ blatant _ plagiarism from Chloe Bourgeois. Rather than lashing out, or becoming openly emotional, Marinette had simply presented evidence in support of her claim, humiliating the opposition.

In some ways, Gabriel was bothered because that was  _ exactly _ what he would’ve done. And as much as Gabriel loved his son, the truth was obvious: Adrien was intelligent, but he was also incredibly  _ naive. _ Gabriel had no evidence that Marinette was manipulating Adrien in any way, but there were  _ obvious _ benefits involved if she was. A connection to the Agreste family could be a massive boon for any aspiring designer, and Gabriel understood that better than anybody.

“I’ve been given no reason to not trust her.” Gabriel eventually said.

“And yet you already don’t.” David accused, and Gabriel could feel his patience wearing out.

After all, Gabriel Agreste preferred to keep his feelings to himself whenever possible.  _ Especially _ when it came to his father. The one person- or rather, the one  _ individual _ Gabriel had become accustomed to sharing such emotions with was Nooroo. He had no idea why his father was so interested now, but he certainly didn’t appreciate it.

“I would  _ appreciate  _ it if you mind your own business.” Gabriel said angrily, rising from the table and walking towards the door, “Your grandson will be here soon, and it would hardly be proper for us to be-”

“Just try not to make things worse than they have to be.” David interrupted, his voice filling with frustration as well, “If your son is  _ anything _ like you, he’s not going to be happy with you.”

“That’s not-” Gabriel took a deep breath, composing himself, “Adrien is  _ nothing _ like me.”

“Oh?”

“You’ll be seeing soon.” Gabriel said, flinching as his phone buzzed, “In fact… it looks like they’ve arrived.”

Sure enough, another text message had come in from Adrien’s bodyguard, confirming that they had arrived at the house. Moments later, a somewhat aggressive knock at the front door began to resonate throughout the house. Gabriel sighed, annoyed with himself for wasting his final preparatory moments on an argument with his father. 

“You’d best go and answer that.” David said, and gave his son a cryptic look.

“Yes…” Gabriel swallowed, and exited the dining room, “I’m sure all will be well…”

**********

The massive window opened slowly, shedding sunlight into a room cloaked previously cloaked in darkness. This abrupt change in lighting was enough to alarm the dozens of butterflies on the floor, prompting them to all rise in near unison, fluttering around in confusion, congregating around the center of the room. A mysterious figure in a dark blue robe stood there, having risen from a small circular elevator.

The figure in question,  _ Mayura, _ had no time to waste. Adrien was going to be gone for the next two days, but that was it. If she was going to make a move against Ladybug and her team, now was the time for it. Mayura didn’t have the strength to challenge the spotted heroine directly, but the Peacock Miraculous granted her access to a number of…  _ unnatural _ abilities, some of which could be useful in her campaign to acquire the Miraculous.

“Fly, beautiful  _ amok.” _ Mayura opened her fist, revealing a dark colored feather that promptly glided out of her grasp.

But rather than following the traditional trail of an akuma, and exiting the window, the amok simply stopped, quickly changing course to approach Mayura again. Mayura took a deep breath, reaching out her other hand. Contained within her fingers was a small  _ coin, _ easily concealable and extremely durable.

The amok eagerly entered the coin, and Mayura flinched as a Peacock emblem appeared over her face. It was an odd feeling, assuming the role of both the master of the amok and the amokized, but Nathalie had done it before. She concentrated, contorting her faces as she moved to shape the sentimonster she was already generating. Mayura had to focus, if she was going to give it the proper form for its mission.

Mayura’s efforts were not in vain. The sentimonster in front of her finally materialized, fully clad in a skin-tight black leather costume. It was complete with a tail, a small bell on its chest, and an unextended baton resting on its back. Mayura rasped, as the effort of molding such a perfect replica of her enemy proved  _ exhausting. _

“What…” The being looked at its hands, blinking unnaturally green eyes in confusion, “What am I supposed to-”

_ “Chat Noir.” _ Mayura named her creation, and couldn’t hold back the smallest of smiles.


	20. Abduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mayura makes her move...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot is finally moving at full speed now, and I expect it won't really slow down until the end. This story will probably clock in at slightly less than 30 chapters.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Mayor Andre Bourgeois!” The mayor’s spokesman was boisterous as he introduced his boss, stepping aside so Andre could take the podium.

It was a cold December day, but still above freezing. An odd day for an event like this, but there was still an impressive turnout. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the crowd contained a surprising amount of _ energy, _ even if they were largely aware that this entire event was another one of the mayor’s elaborate political stunts.

Above them, Mayura watched patiently from a nearby rooftop. The mayor was currently presiding over the unveiling of a new statue in commemoration of a French Resistance fighter who’d been killed during the Nazi occupation in the 1940’s. It was a fairly standard event for Mayor Bourgeois, and one almost certainly created to boost his public image before an upcoming election. After all, there was no other real reason for him to monopolize the ceremony personally, especially with the resistance fighter’s granddaughter present, but it presented a good opportunity to acquire a meaningful hostage.

Mayura smiled, as she spotted Chloe Bourgeois on her own in the crowd. _ Perfect. _

“Today, we are gathered to celebrate!” Andre said triumphantly, pumping his fist in the air excitedly, “The spirit of the French people, something that I’ve personally observed in my humble service as your mayor, never ceases to amaze me. And today, we will be honoring one man that encapsulated that spirit like no other!”

Mayura looked off to her right anxiously. Her Chat Noir replica had almost certainly handled the first part of his mission, but moving too quickly was _ never _ a good idea. If her sentimonster hadn’t achieved his goal… things could fall apart _ quickly. _ If Adrien became alerted to her plans at _ all, _ he could potentially warn Ladybug, which would derail everything.

But Adrien shouldn’t be an obstacle. Not if her sentimonster did its job. Mayura took a deep breath, and leapt off the building, straight for the blonde girl in the front row.

“I’ve had the pleasure of giving this great city several statues now.” Andre humbly bragged, gesturing at the park down the street, “Statues that include, but are not limited to, our very own commemoration of Ladybug and- _ Chloe!” _

The mayor cried out in shock, as Mayura landed in front of his podium, slung his daughter over her shoulder and leapt away without missing a beat. Chloe struggled, and the whole crowd erupted into chaos as Mayura landed on another rooftop. She sprinted, with Chloe in tow, _ desperate _ to get to her next position.

“Unhand me!” Chloe yelled indignantly, pounding her fists futility against Mayura’s back, “You have _ no idea _ how much trouble you’ll be in for this!”

Mayura approached the Seine River, relieved to see that an earlier construction sight was still there. It was complete with a gigantic crane to help repair the bridge, with the massive arm still stretching out over the flowing river below. It would make for a _ fantastic _ spot to create a dramatic hostage situation, and an offer that Ladybug wouldn’t be able to ignore. 

And while Adrien Agreste may have been out of town… Chat Noir would still be at his lady’s side.

“This is _ ridiculous!” _ Chloe sounded more angry than afraid as Mayura perched on top of the crane, far above the river below.

“That’s the point.” Mayura agreed, as she took the blonde girl off of her back. Fortunately, Mayura had the foresight to bring a thick rope to restrain her hostage.

“Ladybug won’t stand for this!” Chloe struggled, as Mayura tied her arms to her side, “You’re lucky I don’t have my Miraculous, or else I’d-”

“Or else I’d have already relieved you of it.” Mayura finished, as she gagged the spoiled girl, preventing any further dialogue. Mayura then set the now completely restrained Chloe on the edge of their perch, so that she could be kicked off at a moment’s notice. It should be more than enough to deter a direct attack from Ladybug; the spotted heroine would have no choice but to confront her directly.

In the distance, Mayura spied a news helicopter rapidly approaching. The situation was almost certainly being broadcasted live, meaning that Ladybug had almost certainly become aware of the situation. Considering that there had been no akuma attacks for over three months now, Mayura’s appearance was even more newsworthy than it might’ve been.

Hopefully, her Chat Noir had finished his task by now, and relieved Adrien of the one ally he had left in Paris...

**********

Kagami moved quickly, stabbing with her fencing foil in a repetitive motion. She stepped forwards and backwards rapidly, making sure to both maintain balance and a correct posture as she honed her technique. Any bad footwork, or slight miscalculations in her attack could leave Kagami open to a brutal counterattack. And as difficult as it was, this was a battle that Kagami couldn’t afford to lose… not if she wanted to spend her afternoon doing anything else.

Her current ‘opponent’ was of course nothing but the open air in front of her. This was a rehearsal of sorts, in the courtyard of the Tsurugi residence, with an audience of exactly one uptight Japanese woman. And Kagami wasn’t going _ anywhere _ until said woman was pleased with the performance.

“Is that the quickest you can move?” Tomoe Tsurugi’s voice was haughty.

“I’m doing my best, mother.” Kagami said through gritted teeth, as she continued her motions as fluidly as she could.

“Your footsteps are far too heavy.” Her mother clucked, shaking her head in a clear sign of disappointment, “You’ll tire yourself out against even the weakest of foes if you fight like that.”

As much as her mother’s criticism stung, the realization that Tomoe was completely correct stung even more. Kagami struggled to correct her form by taking lighter steps, making sure not to relent in her flurry of attacks against the invisible enemy. It seemed to be in vain, however, as Kagami very nearly tripped on her next step forwards.

“It’s no wonder you took second in Berlin.” Tomoe said flatly, “If you were fighting like this, I’m surprised it went that well.”

“She’s the fourth best fencer in all of Europe!” Kagami said, referring to her one loss in Berlin two weeks ago, “I did the best that I-”

_ “Oh?” _ Her mother let out a humorless laugh, “I wouldn’t care if she was the first ‘best fencer,’ and neither should you. She was just another opponent… another _ obstacle. _ To become the best, you can’t allow yourself to be intimidated by status. It’s the attitude of the weak, and of those who would leave their destiny in the hands of others.”

Their duel had been extremely close. Kagami had taken an early advantage, landing several hits within the first minute of their battle. But as the fight dragged on, the German girl seemed to have figured out Kagami’s technique, and ended up winning by a narrow margin. As soon as the buzzer sounded, indicating an end to the fight, Kagami had looked over at her mother in a mixture of fear and desperation. 

Despite her blindness, and the lack of an immediate announcement declaring her opponent the winner, Kagami’s mother somehow _ knew _ that her daughter had failed. Tomoe had shaken her head in a soft, disappointed way that Kagami was all too familiar with, leaving her with a bit of a chip on her shoulder in the time since it happened.

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Kagami demanded quietly, “I’m giving this everything I have-”

“Then give it more.” Tomoe said, without a trace of compassion in her voice, “Your grandfather and I both stand as legends of the sport. You have the talent within you, and I will not tolerate cowardice in the face of adversity.”

Kagami wanted to argue more, and deny the accusation of cowardice, but the words just weren’t there. Even if Kagami found a way to completely debunk Tomoe’s arguments, the results spoke for themselves: Kagami was a good fencer, but she was far from the best. And that _ certainly _ wasn’t enough, for either of the Tsurugi women. Kagami had to work harder if she was going to prove herself, as difficult as it was.

“I don’t think that this session is proving fruitful for _ either _ of us.” Tomoe said, standing up from her bench, “I will return in two hours’ time, hopefully then you will-”

But Tomoe was interrupted by an aggressive beeping sound from her phone. Both women frowned, as the elder Tsurugi woman rarely left her phone off silent mode. It meant that either Tomoe had made a rare error, or there was an emergency text message from the government. And that only happened in the event of- 

Kagami’s eyes widened in horror, as Tomoe’s phone began to read the message out loud for the visually impaired old woman.

_ “We recommend that all citizens remain inside until further notice, as an akuma-related disturbance has appeared in the Paris metro area. Ladybug and-” _ The message was clearly automated, and Kagami didn’t wait to hear the rest.

“Kagami, you get back here right this moment!” Tomoe demanded indignantly, as her daughter ran at full speed for her own phone. It had been left inside of the house for practice, but she _ needed _ to contact Adrien! Kagami swore silently to herself: she had told Adrien _ more than once _ that leaving town was a bad idea, _ especially _ when Mayura had admitted to watching him!

Kagami frantically opened her phone, after snatching it off of the desk in her bedroom. She quickly pressed the button to dial for Adrien, and paced back and forth like a caged animal, waiting for him to answer. It was roughly half an hour after noon, meaning that he was probably _ just _ arriving at his father’s estate. If she was as unlucky as being friends with a black cat might indicate, this was the _ exact _ moment he wouldn’t be able to take calls, as she was ‘greeting’ his father right now.

“Damn it, Adrien!” Kagami swore, as she reached voicemail. She decided to hang up, and instead switch over to text.

Kagami began hammering out a message, laced with more profanity than strictly necessary. But as she was about to hit the ‘send’ button, she paused. Something seemed _ off, _ as though there was an unwelcome presence in her room… 

“Well, if it isn’t my _ dear _ friend Kagami.” A familiar voice taunted.

“...Adrien?” Kagami whipped around, her eyes widening as she saw none other than _ Chat Noir _ standing at the other end of the bedroom.

**********

“Well, it was good having you over.” Alya sounded genuine, as the couple approached the entrance to Nino’s apartment.

All around, Nino was happy with their ‘date.’ It had originally been intended as a hero-related visit, so Alya could show him the Miracle Box, but Nino had of course invited himself to stay for longer than strictly necessary. He’d gotten a chance to actually meet Trixx, and see just how many of the Miraculous there really were. It presented a lot more questions that it did answer, but Nino was just happy to be in the loop for the time being.

More than anything, Nino was disappointed that he hadn’t gotten a chance to see his own kwami. Wayzz was apparently out finding cashews, but Nino had really been hoping for a chance to get to know the strange turtle creature. After all, how often did you get to meet a mythical creature that granted shell powers?

“And it was ‘good of you’ to walk me home.” Nino laughed, as he placed the Turtle Bracelet in his girlfriend’s hands, “You should probably hold onto this until Wayzz gets back.”

“Yeah, probably.” Alya said awkwardly, and looked genuinely sad to see him go.

Nino smiled, and leaned in to give her a soft farewell kiss before entering his apartment. They were probably going to spend time together again tomorrow, so he wasn’t worried. After all, the semester was over, and neither of them had any schoolwork to do. Nino had a job interview on Monday for a local grocer, but he was otherwise completely free for the next week. They were on break, and even though it wasn’t ever long enough, they might as well enjoy it.

But as Nino began to hang up his jacket, his phone began to vibrate. Nino was only vaguely interested as he glanced at the screen, but his eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets as he read the contents of his latest message.

“Alya!” Nino cried out, rushing right back out the door to where his girlfriend shared an identical look of horror.

“An ‘akuma-related disturbance!?’” Nino demanded, waving the phone at her, “Ladybug… the _ one _ weekend that she’s gone-”

“We don’t have time to panic!” Alya interrupted confidently, and quickly flipped her phone to a local news report.

The footage on screen was currently live, showcasing a construction site that was overlooking the Seine River, near the Eiffel Tower. Nino was confused at first, unsure of what exactly the news was showing, but his eyes widened yet again as he caught a good look at the center of the frame. A figure in dark blue… was it _ Mayura? _ And on the ground next to her, there was somebody that looked like-

_ “...Chloe!?” _ Nino gawked at the screen, and Alya looked equally disturbed, even as she maintained her composure, “That doesn’t look good-”

“It’s a _ disaster!” _ Alya exclaimed, “Nino, don’t you see? Chloe is Queen Bee! Wayzz is still gone, so no Carapace. Ladybug is out of town, which means-”

“-Which means that you and Chat Noir are all we’ve got.” Nino finished, and immediately bristled, “No, _ absolutely _ not!”

Without Ladybug to save the day, they were in a _ way _ more difficult situation right off the bat. And if Nino couldn’t be there to keep his girlfriend safe, there was no way he was going to let her go in on her own! Mayura _ never _ attacked without Hawkmoth, meaning that Rena Rouge would be up against insurmountable odds.

“Nino, I _ have _ to.” Alya said, and her voice was both sympathetic and firm, “I can call Ladybug, and let her know what’s happening. It’ll take time, but she’ll be here eventually. And with Chat Noir’s help, I can stall Mayura-”

“And what happens if you fail?” Nino challenged, “What if Chat Noir chokes, and the both of you lose your Miraculous _ forever?” _

“That’s a risk she signed up for.” Trixx phased out of Alya’s coat, and fixed Nino with a serious expression, “It’s never easy, but that girl Chloe could _ die. _ Alya and I have to help, no matter how dangerous it might be.”

Nino tried to think of a logical counterargument, but he came up short. As dangerous as this mission could be, Alya and Nino had both agreed to be _ heroes. _ Heroes didn’t back down because things got tough; heroes _ persevere _ in the face of adversity. Chloe was in danger, and Chat Noir was going to need backup if he challenged Mayura on his own. Nino didn’t like it, but Rena Rouge was the only help coming.

“I’ll be careful…” Alya said quietly, placing an affectionate hand on his cheek, “I won’t do anything crazy without backup.”

“I don’t-” Nino sighed, and pulled away from her grasp, “I guess Chloe needs all the help she can get, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah… she really does.” Alya said, nodding in agreement as she looked both ways to make sure the hallway was deserted, _ “Trixx, let’s pounce!” _

An explosion of dark orange energy briefly engulfed the space in front of Nino, until his girlfriend was replaced by Rena Rouge, the fox-themed heroine. A flute appeared in her hands, while a tail and ears sprouted from the anatomically appropriate areas of her costume. It was an impressive costume, Nino had to admit.

“Take this.” Alya tossed him the Turtle Miraculous again, “Go back to my apartment and wait for Wayzz. As soon as he arrives-”

“I’ll join you.” Nino agreed eagerly, sliding the bracelet back onto his risk, “Good luck… Rena Rouge.”

**********

“What are you doing in Paris?” Kagami demanded, “I thought you were-”

But rather than waiting for Kagami to finish, or countering with a remark of his own, Chat Noir _ leaped _ forwards, snatching the phone out of her hands and shoving Kagami to the floor of her own bedroom. The girl was too _ stunned _ by his actions to adequately react, and nearly hit her head on the side of her desk on the way down. What on Earth was Chat Noir doing? He wasn’t even supposed to be in Paris, and _ definitely _ wasn’t supposed to be attacking her!

“Should’ve hit send.” Chat Noir chuckled, as he scrolled through her phone, his face contorting in a frown as he looked at her call history, “You tried to call him… didn’t you?”

“I tried to call _ you!” _ Kagami rose to her feet angrily, “Just _ who _ do you think you are, barging in like you-”

“Here’s another message.” Chat Noir said gleefully, as he began typing on the phone, “How does ‘sorry, false alarm, looks like I butt dialed you’ sound? Maybe a bit stilted for a friendly talk between close buddies?”

_ Oh no. _ Kagami’s heart sunk, as she realized what was going on here. This… _ being _ in her room right now… it might _ look _ like Chat Noir, down to every last hair on his head, but it wasn’t him. Like Kagami had warned, Hawkmoth and Mayura were using Adrien’s absence to execute a deadly plan. Kagami had no idea what this fake Chat Noir was going to be used for, or what it actually _ was, _ but it couldn’t be good.

“Give. Me. The phone.” Kagami rushed forwards, trying to snatch the device, but the Chat Noir imposter easily overpowered her, knocking her right back on her rear. This time, instead of leaving her in place, Chat Noir grabbed her by the wrists, slamming her against the bedroom wall. Kagami struggled desperately, as her head exploded in pain from the collision, but this doppelganger clearly had Chat Noir’s enhanced strength alongside his looks.

Kagami’s heart sank, as she realized that Hawkmoth _ clearly _ knew that she had discovered Adrien’s identity. She should’ve anticipated it, especially after seeing how closely Mayura had been monitoring Adrien’s personal life, but she was still caught off guard. Kagami gasped for breath, as the more recent hit had knocked the wind out of her.

“You need to learn to behave.” Chat Noir said with a terrifying grin, and Kagami’s eyes widened as he took a roll of duct tape from his belt.

“That’s _ quite _ enough.” Both Chat Noir and Kagami looked over in surprise to see Tomoe Tsurugi standing at the door to the bedroom, brandishing a fencing sabre of her own, “You won’t be harming my daughter… _ vermin!” _

Before the Chat Noir imposter could properly respond, Tomoe struck out viciously with her ornate instrument. He was only able to narrowly dodge the attack by sidestepping, and was not prepared for the old woman’s follow-up. Tomoe threw all of her body weight behind her shoulder as she struck the villain’s chest with it, knocking him over immediately. Kagami had to admit: her mother’s skills were very impressive.

“I thought you were supposed to be _ blind!” _ The imposter snarled, rolling back to his feet and striking with his baton.

“Blindness often has little to do with the eyes.” Tomoe said, parrying his attack.

As the two continued to duel, Kagami looked around frantically. She was _ desperate _ to find some sort of weapon to help her mother with, but came up empty-handed. Kagami began to rummage through her closet, but was horrified to hear Tomoe cry out in pain as her opponent’s baton struck her in the knees. Kagami whipped back around to see the Chat Noir-like creature looking at the window anxiously, like he had somewhere to be.

“I don’t have _ time _for this!” The imposter leered at them, leaping right out the window he’d entered from, still holding Kagami’s phone.

For an awkward couple of seconds, Kagami’s bedroom was completely silent, as both of the Tsurugi women were at a total loss of words. But the moment passed, as Kagami realized that her blind mother was still on the ground. She rushed over, but Tomoe held up a hand as she rose to her feet by herself.

“Mother…” Kagami had no idea what to say, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“Stay calm, my child.” Tomoe said quietly, as she righted herself, “Do you have any idea what the invader sought to gain?”

Kagami’s mind spun, as she struggled to think of an even _ slightly _ believable explanation for what had just happened. As much as she owed her mother for saving her, Kagami _ couldn’t _ tell the truth without compromising Adrien, or at least admitting that she knew the true identity of Chat Noir. Moreover, there was no time to waste if she was going to contact Adrien in time.

“I… can’t say.” Kagami said uncomfortably, “I’d be going against my word if I did.”

“Ah.” Tomoe’s face contorted.

Adrien’s phone number… Kagami cursed herself. The fake Chat Noir had her phone, and Kagami didn’t have the number memorized. Nathalie should still be at the Agreste Mansion, and the assistant would _ definitely _ have the number written down somewhere (if not stored inside of her own phone), but that would take time. And time was something that both Adrien and Ladybug were both running out of… after all, a fake Chat Noir could cause an unparalleled amount of damage, if Kagami didn’t act _ now. _Adrien had left her the envelope as well... 

“Mother, I _ need _ to do something.” Kagami continued, impressed by her own defiance, “The safety of the entire city is at stake-”

“You clearly have an affinity for danger, daughter.” Tomoe interrupted, and her voice was cryptic, “It was not _ terribly _ long ago that one of these akumatized villains kidnapped you, and yet you’re taking even more risks today than you did back then…” Kagami felt shivers down her spine as her mother mentioned the battle with the Reaper.

“Well… it’s like you said.” Kagami mustered her courage, “No cowardice in the face of adversity… right?”

Kagami expected a harsh rebuttal from her mother for such defiance, and braced herself. But much to her surprise, Tomoe’s face actually seemed to soften. And just as Kagami was about to question it, her mother actually _ smiled, _ for the first time in quite a while.

“Well then,” Tomoe stepped aside, and gestured down the stairs, “Don’t let me stop you…”

**********

Wayzz phased through the door to Master Fu’s apartment cautiously, taking care to patrol the entire two rooms before feeling comfortable in his isolation. He even took the liberty of looking under the couch Fu would use for customers, and inside of the kitchen cupboards, just to make sure he was completely unwatched. The only other person that knew about the significance of this location was Marinette, and she should be on the other side of the country by now. Even though the residence was supposed to be completely empty at the moment, Wayzz needed to make sure that nobody was around to listen in on the conversation he was about to have. 

After all, the remaining Miraculous wouldn’t have remained safe for this long without Fu and Wayzz exercising _ extreme _ caution.

It shouldn’t have come to this, but Wayzz was ultimately left with no choice. Marinette was _ blatantly _ disregarding Master Fu and Tikki’s instructions by leaving town, and had made no move to secure Chat Noir’s Miraculous. And while Wayzz certainly understood the decision to leave the Miracle Box in the hands of Alya Cesaire (it needed to remain in Paris, after all), the situation should have _ never _ reached this point.

Wayzz floated into the kitchen, and landed softly on top of the master’s small refrigerator. The specific artifact Wayzz needed wasn’t in view at the moment, as was to be expected. Master Fu’s attitude regarding personal security was the same as his attitude everywhere else in his life: the old man didn’t like to take risks when he didn’t have to. After the mistakes of his past… Master Fu took care to make sure the power he guarded wasn’t misused.

In this particular case, the item Wayzz needed was hidden in a magical safe. A magical safe that was invisible to the naked eye, even for a kwami. It would only materialize when the correct password was said aloud in front of it. 

“Tikki.” Wayzz said confidently, “Plagg. Wayzz. Pollen. Nooroo. Dussu. Trixx.”

Immediately after the green kwami uttered the last syllable, fog began to materialize in front of him. Peaceful at first, the fog glowed with a bright blue energy, before it began to _ swirl. _ Wayzz had miscalculated the safe’s position, and needed to dash backwards as it materialized in the space he had been sitting just moments before. The box was unassuming, containing the same patterned design as the Miracle Box. Nobody would’ve paid it any special attention were it not for the supernatural nature of its entry.

Wayzz floated forwards, opening up the safe as quickly as he could, letting out a sigh of relief as he found the item he was looking for: a stone. It was maybe an inch in diameter, and contained a very small Chinese letter on top of it. Wasting no time, Wayzz tapped the inscription, unable to hold back a gasp as more fog erupted from the stone, engulfing the turtle kwami before he could react.

In the moments that followed, Wayzz felt _ immense _ discomfort. It wasn’t painful, per say, but the process of separating one’s body and spirit was never comfortable. In order to communicate across such a long distance without modern technology, such crude magical methods were necessary.

_ “Wayzz!?” _ A familiar voice called out in shock, as the fog receded. It was an odd feeling, for the kwami’s body remained in Paris, while his spirit had voyaged to the east.

“Master Fu.” Wayzz confirmed with a nod, turning to face his true wielder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos / comments!


	21. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir move to rescue Chloe, but not all is as it seems...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapter today, so hope you enjoy!

The Agreste Mansion was unfortunately guarded by a powerful security system, and the only way Kagami could conceivably get in was if Nathalie answered the buzzer. And Kagami _ needed _ to get her hands on Adrien’s phone number, to warn him of the growing threat here in Paris. If he didn’t return _ immediately, _ his doppelganger could potentially trick Ladybug into a trap, if he hadn’t done that already.

Which made it all the more frustrating that _ nobody _ answered the buzzer up front. Sure _ somebody _had to be home?

“Come on, come on!” Kagami said angrily, and continued to mash the button in annoyance.

Kagami reached into her coat pocket and fingered the envelope Adrien had given her, wondering if she should open it. He’d been extremely clear as to what exactly this note entailed, and even clearer that when he said that Kagami was to only open it in the event of an emergency.

The buzzer remained unanswered, and Kagami realized that she really didn’t have another option. She tore the envelope open impatiently, and nearly ripped apart its contents. The sheet was now slightly crumpled, but Kagami could still make out two names written in Adrien’s handwriting on the center lines:

_ Alya Cesaire: 55-9847 _

_ Nino Lahiffe: 55-3389 _

Alya and Nino… Kagami’s eyes widened. Rena Rouge and Carapace’s true selves were in Adrien’s class this entire time? In fact, Nino was Adrien’s best friend! Kagami stared blankly at the paper for a moment, checking to make sure that she wasn’t missing something. But there was nothing else written, and Adrien had been extremely clear: the envelope contained the names and contact information of the fox and turtle superheroes…

There was no time to agonize over this revelation. Kagami shook her head, and quickly began to shred the paper into tiny pieces with her hands. While the note would theoretically be useless to anybody besides her, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Fortunately, Kagami had been to Alya’s apartment as Adrien’s guest some time ago, for the young reporter’s birthday party. She began to sprint, as the building was only several blocks away. If anything, this was even more convenient, as Alya almost certainly had Adrien’s phone number as well. She still had to move quickly, however, if she was going to put a stop to the fake Chat Noir… 

**********

“Just great…” Rena Rouge sighed, glaring at the small phone screen on her flute as she perched on a rooftop water tower.

Rena Rouge had just finished dialing Marinette’s number, planning on telling the girl that Paris needed Ladybug right now more than Adrien needed Marinette, but had instead reached voicemail. It left Alya somewhere between panicked and _ pissed, _ as Marinette had promised to answer her phone without delay, but there was no time to dwell on it. A text would have to do for now, and hopefully Marinette would be back soon.

_ Alya: We need ladybug - call me!! _

Was there even a point in telling Marinette? After all, the _ best _ case scenario was that she got the message within the next five minutes. If Marinette found a way to slip away (which was not a given), Ladybug would still be showing up barely in time for sunset, presumably hours after this battle was long over-

_ Stop it. _ Alya chided herself, and took a deep breath. This wasn’t the time for panic.

Rena Rouge looked down from her perch, and at the river below. She was far enough from the construction site that Mayura almost certainly hadn’t seen her yet, and neither had any members of the media. From what she could tell, Chat Noir hadn’t shown up yet, but he could be arriving at any moment, expecting to have backup. And since Ladybug was out of the picture, Rena Rouge would have to be enough. Hopefully Wayzz would be back soon, and Carapace could join them, but Alya had a sneaking suspicion that she’d be waiting quite a while.

Rena Rouge was caught off guard by her own shivers, as her intense focus on reaching Marinette and saving Chloe had been enough for her to not notice how cold it was getting. Even though it was barely past midday, the sky was still fairly dark. It was an overcast December day, which could _ maybe _ work to Rena Rouge’s advantage as a way of concealing her approach. There was apparently a decent chance of snow

She needed to get a good look at the situation, and plan her next move accordingly.

The crane from the earlier news footage was still there of course, and Rena Rouge could just barely make out a small figure dressed in indigo. _ Mayura. _ The peacock villain probably wasn’t alone, and Alya wasn’t referring to Chloe. Knowing Hawkmoth, there was almost certainly something more sinister going on here, as if kidnapping wasn’t enough. Rena fully expected an akuma or sentimonster to emerge from cover the moment she made a move to free the hostage, which made the situation even more complicated.

Chloe’s safety was at risk, but Rena Rouge couldn’t just rush in on her own. Not only did she lack backup, but she’d be foolish to reveal that Ladybug wasn’t here to lead the team. If Mayura and Hawkmoth realized that the far less seasoned Rena Rouge was their opponent… they’d be sure to pounce. Rena Rouge had to find a way to hide that she was alone, at least until Marinette made it back to Paris. If only… _ of course! _

_ “Mirage!” _ Rena Rouge called out, activating her power of illusion.

**********

“Master Fu.” Wayzz said formally, momentarily stunned as he recognized the chamber that the magic stone had led him to.

There was rubble all around. The chamber was still rather large, but massive segments of it were now taken up by debris created from the walls caving in. Stone had certainly proven to be a powerful construction material, but that disaster that this place had faced was worse; Wayzz recognized it, but the temple’s alchemy chamber was a shadow of its former glory. He was impressed that this much remained, in all honesty.

Snow lined the gaps in the wall. Even though the Himalaya Mountains were near the equator, the altitude of the temple made snow a reality at all times of the year. In ancient times, it had helped to provide protection against potential invasions, but there was little need for such defenses anymore, not since the facility had been mostly destroyed… 

“What- how are you?” Master Fu was startled, but seemed to calm as he realized that the turtle kwami’s body was transparent.

“I used your stone.” Wayzz said, and gestured to the room around them, “The laboratory… it’s in better shape than I’d have expected.”

“Well, it was built to last.” Master Fu said, regaining his composure.

The master was seated at a table that could easily host a dozen people. But instead of a great feast, as was probably intended, the table was occupied by _ piles _ of different materials. Certain groups of items seemed to be more orderly than others, meaning that Master Fu was clearly doing his best to sort them and find what he needed.

“Naturally.” Wayzz agreed, and looked his wielder up and down, “You seem to be holding up decently well… have you made progress with the potion?”

Without his juvenescence potion, the Guardian of the Miraculous was aging like a normal man. In fact, without the magic of the potion, nature was attempting to take control back. In other words: his body was trying to make up for lost time. Master Fu had been old for a long time, but his wrinkles were even more pronounced than before. His balding head had progressed as well, but Wayzz was pleased to see that the master remained hygienic. Rather than wearing his classic Hawaiian shirt, the master was clad in a dark gray winter coat to protect from the elements.

“I can’t complain, all things considered.” Master Fu said quietly, but didn’t directly answer Wayzz’s question, “Why have you come to me? Are things not well in Paris?”

“Things are not well at all.” Wayzz shook his head, disheartened to remember the purpose for this visit. As happy as he was to see Master Fu, this wasn’t going to be a simple chat between old friends; Wayzz needed guidance like never before.

“Well, you’ve managed to contact me.” Master Fu stroked his beard thoughtfully, “That means that your Miraculous must still be safe, and there is still hope.”

“I… _ suppose.” _ Wayzz was hesitant, “The situation has become complicated. Marinette has not been following your instructions, and the safety of the Miraculous is at risk.”

“Oh?” Master Fu’s brow furrowed, “Do tell.”

Where to start? Marinette currently wasn’t even in Paris, for starters. She’d refused to follow protocol, and wouldn’t take Chat Noir’s Miraculous. Despite being the acting Guardian of the Miraculous, Marinette had entrusted the Miracle box with a classmate while she left town. To complicate matters further, this same classmate had learned her identity… in short, Ladybug had all but gone rouge.

“Well, it all started when Chat Noir wanted to talk…”

And Wayzz told the whole story. Master Fu was almost completely silent, speaking only to ask the occasional clarifying question, while Wayzz exposed all of the chaotic events unfolding back in Paris. Master Fu’s eyes narrowed when Wayzz mentioned Chat Noir’s fallen identity, but his face became increasingly distraught the more he heard. He wasn’t _ angry, _ per say, but the master began to look more and more disappointed as Wayzz described the way Plagg had outright _ refused _ to help their cause.

When Wayzz finally got around to discussing the current predicament, and the way that Chat Noir and Marinette had both left town, the master barely seemed to be reacting. Fu wouldn’t even make eye contact, and sunk further into his seat. Wayzz finished telling his story, but quickly realized that Master Fu wasn’t going to provide an easy answer, like he’d hoped.

“...and now, the Miracle Box remains in the hands of this ‘Alya’ girl.” Wayzz said anxiously, “I managed to sneak away, and contact you. Without your guidance… I must admit that I’ll be completely lost. The instructions you left me were thorough, but the feckless youth have found a way to complicate matters.”

Master Fu was silent. Wayzz waited awkwardly, staring at the man he trusted more than any other human. The short man still wouldn’t look him in the eye, and instead began to fidget with his fingers, clearly deep in thought.

“You were right to consult with me.” Master Fu finally said, “This matter… it could have _ grave _ consequences.”

“Can’t you order her?” Wayzz asked, “Marinette, that is. You must _ demand _ that she take Chat Noir’s Miraculous! You can tell her his identity, and then-”  
  


“Maybe.” Master Fu held up a hand, signalling that he wanted silence, “That’s an option, I suppose. But it’s a drastic one.”

“It is drastic.” Wayzz said, and his voice became slightly accusatory, “But that is _ exactly _ what you instructed, from the day you recruited Marinette and Adrien. If either of their identities were taken, you insisted that-”

“-that Tikki and Plagg report it immediately, so I could reclaim the Miraculous.” Master Fu finished, and gave Wayzz a vaguely irritated look, “I may have aged, Wayzz, but my memory is still intact.”

“I apologize.”

“No matter.” Fu waved his hand dismissively, and stared back off into space.

There were a lot of reasons that Wayzz respected Master Fu. He was never meant to become the Guardian of the Miraculous… but when the situation demanded, he proved that he was worthy of the rank. He’d been reckless in his past, and had learned from his mistakes. Where there was once a naive and foolhardy young man was now a serious and stubborn old man. Much like Wayzz, Master Fu understood the importance of maintaining order, and playing by the rules.

And yet, Wayzz found himself growing frustrated now. Master Fu had been crystal clear: if Marinette or Adrien’s identities were exposed, their Miraculous had to be recovered as soon as possible. Where Wayzz had been hoping for a firm hand, Master Fu appeared to be indecisive.

“Master, what choice do we have?” Wayzz said, making sure to keep his tone respectful, “Mayura casts a dark shadow on Chat Noir’s heart. A shadow that grows larger the longer we wait-”

“A shadow that will grow further still if we alienate the boy.” Master Fu interrupted, “What do you think he’ll do if we demand he give up his ring?”

The master certainly had a point. If Chat Noir felt like he was being persecuted, he might lash out, and do something regrettable. Chat Noir might not be a huge threat on his own, but Hawkmoth certainly was. The power of the akumas was far beyond what Nooroo should be able to bestow upon his wielders. Meaning that the owner of the Butterfly Miraculous _ must _ have access to some sort of dark magic. The consequences could be _ catastrophic _ if he got his hands on Plagg’s power… catastrophic on an interdimensional scale.

They couldn’t afford to take a risk like that. They couldn’t allow Chat Noir the chance to betray them… 

“The ring is as good as gone if we leave it in his hands.” Wayzz countered, landing on his master’s shoulder. The old man tilted his head, looking at the turtle kwami out of the corner of his eye, “I think we need to do more than just ‘demand’ the Miraculous.”

“Using force has its own issues.” Master Fu shook his head, “If we were to fail-”

“Unlikely.” Wayzz interrupted in a rare breach of etiquette, “Master… let’s not deceive ourselves: a decisive contest between Chat Noir and Ladybug would not take long, _ especially _ if Ladybug has allies alongside her.”

It wasn’t hard to notice. Chat Noir had been mind controlled by the akumatized villains on at least four different occasions. And in all of those battles, even without help from Rena Rouge or Carapace, Ladybug had emerged triumphant. And while Chat Noir would probably prove to be at least _ slightly _ more formidable without the effects of mind control, there was no reason to believe that he would pose a significant threat.

“He is one of our allies, Wayzz.” Master Fu was somewhat stern, “Moving against Adrien without provocation would be _ dishonorable, _ to say the least.”

“Without provocation?” Wayzz shook his head, “Master… I already told you. Chat Noir hid the details of his situation for _ three months. _ He’s begun consulting with our enemies, and they’ve offered his mother in return for his Miraculous. I would hardly consider this to be without provocation.”

“Still.” Master Fu didn’t look convinced, “I will not allow you to take action against one of our own. If I understand correctly, _ he _ was the one to tell us about his lost identity. Adrien has turned to us in his time of need, and we can’t just cast him out.”

“I respect your authority.” Wayzz said with a sigh, “But let it be known that I disagree.”

“I understand your position.” Master Fu nodded, and gave his kwami a wry smile, “I don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to keeping the Miraculous safe… but we can’t just treat our people as expendable.”

The two of them stared out at the ruined laboratory, only lit due to the massive holes in its walls. Once upon a time, this had been a bustling hub of Miraculous wielders. And while there were certainly still Miraculous today, Master Fu and the kwamis were all that remained of an order they had once thought to be eternal. Wayzz _ hated _ that they were taking such a blatant risk with the Black Cat Miraculous, but his friend wasn’t without reason.

“Okay.” Wayzz said finally, “But if Chat Noir betrays us…”

“...then we will take quick, decisive action.” Master Fu’s face darkened, “If the need arises, I trust that you will do what needs to be done.”

**********

“This had _better _work.” Rena Rouge grumbled, as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop in her newly spotted outfit, nearly falling several times.

Unlike Marinette, Alya wasn’t clumsy in the slightest. She was always dominant in sports, and had even practiced ballet when she was much younger, as much as she’d hated it. And even though Alya had ultimately settled into journalism as her central hobby, she still took it as a point of personal pride that she was gifted with her body.

Which made it all the more uncomfortable to be traversing in somebody else’s form… 

“Damn it!” Rena Rouge swore, as she miscalculated her landing. For a split second, Rena Rouge thought that she would topple down into the streets below, but was fortunately able to recover her balance at the last second.

Rena Rouge shook her head as she righted herself, and looked down at her body with a glum expression. Or rather, she looked at _ Marinette’s _ body. Her powers of illusion were enough to generate the appearance of Ladybug, but Alya’s actual body was differently proportioned. It was making things far more difficult than they needed to be, and she had little doubt that she’d end up falling on at least one of these jumps.

It was still the best option. The people needed their savior, their _ Ladybug. _ Rena Rouge wouldn’t inspire the same courage in the public, or the same fear in their enemies. Even if it was a lie, Ladybug was something they could all believe in. Marinette should be back eventually, hopefully not too late.

“M’lady?” Chat Noir’s voice startled her, throwing her off balance for the second time in less than thirty seconds.

“Chat Noir?” She regained her footing, and was relieved to see the feline hero on the other side of the rooftop.

Marinette had told Alya about her argument with Chat Noir. From the way Marinette had described it, the situation sounded downright _ catastrophic, _ especially after Wayzz had demanded that Chat Noir give up his Miraculous. Based on Marinette’s words alone, Alya had expected that Chat Noir would be downright _ hostile _ the next time he saw his partner face-to-face, and she had to admit she was worried to talk with him.

But those fears seemed to be completely unfounded. Chat Noir didn’t look angry at all, and had his classic cheshire grin prominently displayed across his features. Rena Rouge silently laughed, realizing that Marinette must’ve just assumed the worst, as she often did.

“I’d apologize for being late to class, but you were hardly a good student yourself.” Chat Noir said with a laugh, and gave an overdramatic bow, before shifting to a more serious tone of voice, “It’s good to see you, Ladybug.”

He was certainly corny, but Rena Rouge silently wondered why Marinette had been so dead-set on winning over Adrien, when Chat Noir was clearly hers for the taking. If Ladybug had wanted Chat Noir _ at all, _ she clearly wouldn’t have had to work for it. It begged the question of why on Earth Marinette had turned him down, but Rena Rouge figured that was something she could interrogate her friend on some other time.

Preferably after the real Ladybug showed up and saved the day… 

“It’s good to see you too, uh… _ kitty.” _ Rena Rouge cringed, and decided that she’d be wisest to come clean, “Listen, I’m not-”

“No time to waste!” Chat Noir exclaimed, interrupting her. He gestured at the construction site, pointing at the top of the crane, “Our ‘Queen Bee’ needs our help!”

“Chat Noir, _ wait!” _ But the feline didn’t listen, and instead began to vault towards Mayura and Chloe with his baton.

Rena Rouge was momentarily stunned by his reckless advance, but quickly realized that she couldn’t let him rush in on his own. She grumbled to herself, and began to leap after him, rapidly approaching the site of the hostage situation. Chat Noir almost certainly didn’t have a plan, but the two of them did have a numbers advantage… as long as Hawkmoth didn’t pull something else out of his hat.

And if what Marinette had said was true, Mayura knew Chat Noir’s secret identity. The villains had a potential bargaining chip over him, beyond just the threat of dropping Chloe to her death, and he would be wise to remember it.

“Wait up!” Rena Rouge managed to close a bit of the distance between her and Chat Noir, but without being able to use Ladybug’s yoyo it was fairly pointless. With his baton, Chat Noir could navigate the cityscape with far more ease.

Chat Noir didn’t seem to hear her pleas, and reached the edge of the bridge moments later. Rena Rouge was just behind him, but he wasn’t in the mood to wait. With another winning smile, the feline hero vaulted forwards after only a brief pause, straight towards the construction site. On top of the crane, Mayura had clearly noticed them, as she looked between the two of them with something resembling _ contempt. _

So much for the element of surprise…

“Sorry to ruffle your feathers!” Chat Noir used his baton to launch himself above the peacock villain, performing several midair flips before landing on the crane in front of her, “But it’s time to let Chloe go!”

“We’ll take that Miraculous!” Rena Rouge called out, fortunately able to make the jump to the top of the towering structure in a single bound, somersaulting as she landed next to Chat Noir with a bit more grace than her earlier movements. It was probably better to support Chat Noir now, and chide him later.

Mayura was silent at first, standing over the rope-bound Chloe in a threatening manner. For her part, Chloe didn’t look to be even slightly concerned for safety, and instead chose to regard the two heroes with a somewhat impatient expression. Even though the blonde was gagged, Rena Rouge could still hear her shrill voice complaining that they’d taken so long to rush to the rescue. Rena just hoped that they wouldn’t let her down.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir…” Mayura mused, placing a foot on Chloe’s side, clearly threatening to shove her into the river below, “Hand over your Miraculous, unless you want your _ dear _ Queen Bee to suffer a great fall.”

“I asked first.” Rena Rouge said with as much confidence as she could muster, “And we’ve got you outnumbered.”

“Indeed…” Mayura smirked, as though she were privy to some sort of inside joke that Rena Rouge didn’t understand.

It was unsettling, but Rena Rouge figured it was just Mayura trying to get inside their heads. And as Rena Rouge advanced towards the villain, she didn’t notice an identical smirk emerging on the face of the creature that looked like Chat Noir. He moved silently, sliding in behind the illusion of Ladybug. He began to reach out, his clawed hand getting closer and closer to her earrings… 

**********

“I guess this is the place?” Marinette asked, and couldn’t keep the nervousness out of her voice.

Adrien nodded tightly, barely acknowledging the question. This was his grandparents’ small mansion, in a secluded area of the French countryside, and Marinette’s boyfriend didn’t seem to be processing _ any _ of it. Not like he was dazed, or _ unable _ to notice his surroundings; Adrien appeared to be growing more and more _ angry. _ Marinette could only assume that this had something to do with the ‘conversation’ with Gabriel that he’d mentioned earlier.

It reached the point that Marinette began to feel uncomfortable, as even the light chatter they’d enjoyed back in Lyon was gone. There was complete silence in the car, and Marinette decided that she needed to speak up if that was going to change.

“Hey…” Marinette said, as the car rolled to a stop, “Are you going to be okay?”

They were clearly in farm country, and Marinette found herself somewhat awestruck by it all in spite of Adrien’s sour mood. After all, she’d spent her entire life living in Paris, and any trips she’d taken overseas or around Europe before this were also spent in cities. To see so much land that was just _ empty… _ it was a foreign concept to Marinette. She couldn’t picture living in a place where the roads weren’t bustling with traffic at all hours, and the nights weren’t completely lit up with artificial illumination.

“Adrien?” Marinette pressed, and poked her boyfriend’s arm when he didn’t answer.

“Huh?” Adrien blinked rapidly, seeming to snap out of his distraction, “Oh… right. Yeah, I’ll be fine. Sorry I’ve been so-”

“-distracted?” Marinette finished, and gave him another nudge, “It’s okay.”

She said ‘distracted,’ but ‘distraught’ was probably the better word. And by the time the car finally rolled to a stop, Adrien had reverted back to how he was before she’d spoken. The only difference was that a small fire seemed to light in his eyes when his bodyguard grunted, signalling that the young couple was to exit the vehicle.

“So, are you going to be staying here?” Marinette asked the bodyguard, while Adrien opened the door to exit.

He simply nodded, and Marinette felt stupid for asking. After all, this man’s full time job was keeping Adrien safe, meaning that he _ had _ to be wherever Adrien was, whether it was in Paris or Marseilles. Given the size of the house in front of them, there was almost going to plenty of room for the bodyguard to stay.

Now that she was outside of the car, Marinette got a better look at the house in front of them. It was certainly large, but nowhere near as colossal as the Agreste Mansion back in Paris. It maintained a quaint, folksy charm despite its size, which Marinette had to admit she liked. There was a giant wraparound porch, and what looked like _ endless _ forest stretching into the distance behind the house.

“Should we knock?” Marinette asked, as she caught up to Adrien. He was waiting patiently for her at the front of the porch, and offered a small smile when she reached him.

“Yeah… I guess we should.” Adrien said, and took a deep breath before doing just that.

For a long moment, there was silence. Marinette briefly wondered if Gabriel and his parents weren’t home right now, or if Adrien’s bodyguard had somehow taken them to the wrong place, but these theories were quickly disproven. Moments later, Marinette could hear movement on the other side of the door. Footsteps, escalating in volume as they approached the door, signalled the approach of at least one of the house’s occupants.

“Well, I’ll be damned…” An elderly woman opened the door, and Marinette quickly realized that this must be Adrien’s grandmother.

Her name was… Edith, if Marinette remembered correctly. She was a fairly tall woman, probably just under six feet tall if Marinette had to guess. She wore a comfortable brown sweater, and her skin was only just beginning to wrinkle. Her hair had grayed, and possessed none of the sunny blond that Marinette saw in Adrien. Her eyes were a dark cyan, much like her son’s, and nothing like her grandson.

In fact, if Marinette had been asked to pick Adrien Agreste’s grandmother out of a crowd, this woman almost certainly wouldn’t have even been a viable contender.

“Grandmother.” Adrien said awkwardly, as though he wasn’t sure how to address her, “It’s good to see you- _ whoa!” _

“I should hope it’s ‘good’ to see me.” Edith laughed, as she wrapped Adrien in a warm embrace, “How long has it been since last we met, eh?”

“It’s been three years I think…” Adrien said with a nervous laugh.

Three years? Adrien had mentioned that he didn’t see his family often, but Marinette didn’t realize it was _ that _ long. After all, she’d assumed that Gabriel would make the time for his parents at least once a year during the holidays, but even that seemed too great a task for the man. Marinette stood awkwardly as Adrien’s grandmother hugged him, and looked back to see that the bodyguard still hadn’t left the car.

“Too long.” Edith nodded, finally pulling back from her hug before regarding Marinette with a curious expression, “And this must be the ‘Mary’ you mentioned-”

“Marinette, actually.” Marinette said shyly, correcting the old woman, “I’m Adrien’s girlfriend. I take it Adrien’s father is near-”

“I am indeed.” Another voice came from inside the house, and all three of them looked to see none other than Gabriel Agreste on the other side of the entrance. It took Marinette a moment to recognize him, as he had donned a much more casual outfit for the occasion, instead of his traditional white suit with bright red pants.

Time seemed to stop, as Adrien’s expression _ immediately _ snapped from one of an uncomfortable boy at a family reunion to an expression of something near _ hate. _ His eyes narrowed, and his entire posture stiffened. He even closed his left hand into a fist in a rare display of aggression. Gabriel Agreste glanced at Adrien, and immediately flinched as the two of them made eye contact. An older man behind Gabriel, the one Marinette assumed to be his father, looked between Adrien and Gabriel with something resembling concern.

“...Adrien?” Gabriel’s voice was cautious, “Thank you for accepting my invitation. I trust that you and Miss Marinette are both well?”

“Can we talk?” Adrien said tightly, as though he was doing his best to not yell as he walked past his grandmother.

“Well, I suppose…” Gabriel was clearly uncomfortable, “I suppose that we could speak in my room if you-”

_ “Fine.” _ Adrien said, and pushed past him.

Moments later, Marinette was left alone with Gabriel’s parents. All three of them looked at one another with something resembling astonishment, as none of them had expected this reunion to begin to confrontationally. To complicate matters further, Marinette and the elderly couple had never met before, making an uncomfortable situation downright _ awkward… _

“Well then…” David Agreste coughed twice into his fist, and gave Marinette a friendly smile, “I think Edith made banana bread, if you’d like to sit down?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, and I appreciate any and all comments / feedback! It'll probably be another week or so before I get the next chapter out.


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